Ninja's Way
by Pandora95
Summary: In the Ninja world nothing is ever easy. Akira falls for the handsome Uchiha Sasuke and hopes that one day she will be able to find him. If she does, what will he do...? I know the beginning is not too exciting, but please read, I promise the action increases .
1. Chapter 1

The story of akira akamide

**This is a story that I have written with my friend. There is some swearing in some chapters. I do not own Naruto or any other characters in this story, apart from Kei, Akira and Zero, which I and my friend made up. This story changes some of the events in the manga/anime. **

**Akira (P.O.V)**

My name is Akira Acamide however it used to be Akira Uchiha a long time ago. Back when I was twelve years old I used to have semi long curly red hair and greenish eyes. I always wore a traditional Chinese top which was the colour of the sky in summer with a silver dragon on the side. My trousers were plain black and so were my ninja shoes. I also always wore a silver heart pendant which my mum gave to me on the 6th birthday. You are probably wondering how I survived the Uchiha clan massacre, well, to understand how, I need to tell you my story from the beginning…

I was born on the 24th of March in the Konoha village. My father, Daisuke was a member of the Uchiha clan; however my mother Cho was not. She was from the Acamide clan known for the great ability to heal people, sometimes even bring them back from the brink of death. The Acamide clan have a special kekkei genkai called Koriigakume which literally translates to ice-medicine-eye. This gives the Acamide clan the ability to manipulate ice as well as heal other people. The only problem with our jutsu is that we cannot heal ourselves, we can only be cured by other people and this is due to the extreme amount of chakra needed to heal someone with Koriigakume. I was half and half. One half of me was Uchiha, the other half was Acamide. I was blessed or cursed with both kekkei genkai, Koriigakume and Sharingan. My mother and I lived with my father and the rest of the Uchiha clan. This also meant that I took my father's name Uchiha, but my mother still remained Acamide. She wasn't too happy at first that I had my father's name, but she stopped fussing about it after some time. I was going to the ninja academy at the time, there I saw many of the famous ninjas of Konoha, but of course back then they were just kids, just like me. They never seen me or paid any attention to me, I was always quiet and I kept to myself, I wasn't skilled very much or bright either, I didn't have any friends. I remember Naruto and how much he loved his pranks. Naruto had short spiky yellow hair and deep blue eyes. Everyone was scared of him and hated him, but I was never scared, I wanted to be his friend, but I just didn't know what to say. I saw Sasuke too; Sasuke was a quiet boy who liked to keep to himself. He had raven black hair which stuck out at the back. It always reminded me a bit of a duck's tail. His eyes were onyx black. I always admired him from the shadows. He was also from the Uchiha clan, I remember him as a happy boy, but it all changed after the massacre.

On the day of the Uchiha tragedy, my mother and I went to visit her friend in the Taki (hidden in the waterfall) village, my father remained in Konoha. Mum and I were gone for four days and when we came back, the shock, the pain was unreal; everyone from the Uchiha clan was dead. Everyone apart from Uchiha Sasuke. When I found out that it was one of the Uchiha who had done it, I was even more heart broken. What kind of a monster kills his whole clan? Even his girlfriend and parents. The thing that hurt me the most was that my beloved father was gone, my hero. I would never see his smiling face again. I never even got to say a proper good bye. I was crying for days on end. I hated Itachi and for some reason, I couldn't forgive Sasuke either for being his brother. Now I understand how stupid I was, instead of comforting him, because he lost both of his parents I was selfish and I only cared about my pain. I can't even begin to think what that poor boy must have felt. My only excuse was that I was the same age as him and therefore I didn't quite understand other people's pain.

But life moved on. Sasuke wasn't the Sasuke I have seen anymore. He didn't smile, he didn't laugh, he seemed in pain all the time, and I suppose he was. It was heart breaking to see him, because he was a constant reminder of what his brother did. My mother seeing how much it hurt me decided to take me away, we asked the Hokage to relocate to the Taki village. We were going to stay with my mother's friend. The Hokage agreed and decided that it is best if I drop my Uchiha name and take up my mother's. From that moment I became Akira Acamide. My mother also forbade me to use my Sharingan. She said that Itachi killed the whole clan from unknown reasons, and if I ever were unfortunate enough to meet him, he might kill me to, if he finds out that I can use the Sharingan. And so, my Sharingan became a forbidden jutsu.

We moved to the Taki village and everything was perfect. I eventually got over my father's death and started to become a bit stronger. I wasn't so shy anymore and I even had a friend. Kei, she was the daughter of my mum's friend Honoka the one we were living with. Kei was tall and her hair was straight, long and with a fringe that fell a bit on her eye and was the colour of the sun. She has two different eye colours and I always found it fascinating. When she looked at the sun her eyes were green, but at any other time they looked blue like the stormy sea. She usually wore long red baggy trousers and a tight black t-shit with a silver rose on it, she used her forehead protector as a belt. All the boys found her beautiful, but she paid no attention. Soon Kei became like a sister to me. An older sister as she was two years older than me. She was protective and caring and always managed to keep me out of trouble but meanwhile she managed get herself in the trouble. Sometimes she was a bit of a bitch, but usually to people other than me. I was so happy that I soon forgot about what happened to the Uchiha. It was a distant memory. Then eventually it became just a terrible nightmare. Kei gave me the confidence I needed to live my life, and thanks to her I became a ninja. She taught me everything I know. My mother helped me develop my healing and my Koriigakume skills, but I never seemed to quite as good as I wanted to be. Still I didn't give up and kept trying harder and harder. Life truly was perfect. Now and then we visited Konoha, but not a lot of people remembered us, some of them had forgotten us completely. I saw Sasuke one time, and for some reason he was smiling. He was smiling again, after all this time. This made me so happy I almost cried from joy. I was so happy that he can finally move on and put it behind him, just the same way that I have. I hoped he found peace at last. I was wrong though. Extremely wrong. If I could go back in time I would go up to him and ask him why he can't move on. I would try my best to help him through the pain and show him light in his world filled with darkness. On some level I blame myself for what happened to him. If only I could see the real pain behind his fake smile, I might have even saved him.

After my visit to Konoha and seeing all of the teams with their senseis I wanted to be just like that. I wanted to have a teacher and comrades and go on missions, however that was not possible. I missed my chance of getting into a team. And so I was just a ninja with no true personality, I was from two clans and from two villages. I decided to find who I really am, and I wanted to finally become friends with Sasuke and Naruto. Sasuke was the only one left from the Uchiha clan, and I couldn't stop thinking about him after I last saw him. I told my mother that I'm going back to Konoha. I was able to get over the pain of the Uchiha massacre but I was still scared that if I speak Sasuke it's all going to come back to me. I was willing to take that risk though. I wanted him to acknowledge me. Apart from Kei and my Mother, I didn't have anyone. After a tearful good bye from my mother and a "promise you will take care of yourself" from Kei, I set of to Konoha. I felt like it was a fresh start so I decided to keep my Uchiha half to myself again.

**Hope you enjoyed this story, I will post the next chapter soon. Reviews are welcome! **


	2. Chapter 2

A Fresh Start

**Thank you to everyone who read the first chapter!**

**Akira (P.O.V)**

I got a place to stay and I was sure this time it would all work out. Maybe I finally found a place to call home. I was 13 at the time and I felt stupid for leaving my mother and sometimes I cried at night because I missed her so much. I told myself that I need to do this. I need to become stronger and I most of all want to help people. I wanted Sasuke to accept me as a kunoichi deserving his attention, but right at that moment, I was worthless. I saw Sasuke a few times but I still didn't have the courage to speak to him. He was so close to me, but at the same time so far away. From what I have seen he looked like a normal teenage boy, now I realise that I had a poor judgment of character. I should have seen it. Maybe if I ever spoke to him, maybe if I looked in his eyes I would see it. But I went on, ignorant as to what is going on. I spoke with Naruto and we became friends. He was the sweetest guy I have ever met; I must admit I had a bit of a crush on him. He's skills were getting better and better, I could see the difference in his attitude too from the last time I have seen him. I was glad to know that people got over the prejudice they had towards him. I couldn't stand to see more people in pain. Now, he was the happiest guy I have ever seen. We were friends for a long time until he finally told me why some people were scared of him. I could see the pain in his eyes as he told me, it hurt me so much, and I never wanted to see him like that again. I hugged him tightly and told him how brave he is and how much I admire him. This made his pain disappear and he told me something I will cherish forever,

"Thank you Akira-chan. You have no idea how much it means to me to be acknowledged by someone. One day I'm going to become Hokage, that is my dream and I will make it happen! You should follow your dream too, no matter what believe in yourself and remember that I believe in you too." Then he kissed my forehead and walked away. We were 16 at the time and he just returned to the village from his training with Jiraya sensei. We both had no idea about the dark times that were ahead of us.

Going back to when I was 13, I woke up one night to the sound of someone banging on my apartment door.

"Akira-chan! Wake up!" from the sound of the muffled voice I could tell it was Naruto.

"Naruto-kun?" I said opening the door "What are you doing here this time of night?"

"It's Sasuke…" he replayed; he knew how much I cared about him because he was the only person I told. He could see the panic building up on my face. "He… he left Konoha" I dropped onto my knees, I started crying and shaking.

"You fool! You fool!" I kept telling myself. "You complete fool! You had the chance to get to know him, but you couldn't build up your stupid courage! And now he's gone and it's all too late! Damn it!" I hit the floor with my fist and Naruto kneeled on the ground next to me.

"Akira-chan" he said softly. "Don't worry." I looked up and he had a kind smile on his face.

"Huh?" I asked.

"I swear on my life I will bring him back." The confidence in his voice made me smile and I felt a bit better. "I swear you will have the chance to tell him how much you care about him. It's a promise." As soon as he said that, he was gone. I was still sat on the floor, my head in my hands crying.

There was no word from Naruto for quite some time. He left with some other ninjas which I didn't know. I was sitting in my room all day long, hoping that today will be the day Naruto brings Sasuke back. I spent days like this. Just sitting and wondering and beating myself over the fact that I didn't say anything to him sooner. Oh what an idiot I was! What was I so scared of! Every time I thought about it, it made me cry. My life's biggest regret.

One day though they came back. All the ninjas that left, minus Sasuke. I saw Kakashi sensei caring an unconscious Naruto. I thought he was dead and I could not control my tears. One of the other ninjas, a boy called Shikamaru saw me and came up to me. He was the least hurt of all the ninjas that went after Sasuke.

"Don't worry" he said softly with a smile. "Naruto isn't dead. Sasuke is just… a tough opponent that's all." I cried hard and hugged him, I was expecting him to push me away, but he didn't, instead he hugged me back.

I went to visit Naruto at the hospital; it was so hard to see him in the state he was in. I almost cried out when I saw him. He smiled at me even though he must have been in terrible pain. I sat on the bed next to him and looked at him with tearful eyes.

"Akira-chan" he said "I'm sorry I failed. I didn't manage to bring him back. But I swear I won't give up!" My eyes opened wide.

"Oh Naruto-kun!" I said and hugged him so hard it hurt him. He said "ouch" very quietly. I let him go and apologised for hurting him.

"Don't worry" he smiled again "it didn't hurt that much." I smiled back at him. I knew this friendship was going to last.

After Naruto got better he went to train with Jiraya sensei. Before he left he said to me

"I will train so I will become stronger and I will bring Sasuke back no matter what. I will! And stop worrying and enjoy your life. I will see you in two years, but I won't be the same Uzumaki Naruto you see now! I will be so much closer to becoming Hokage and rescuing Sasuke! Believe it!" I smiled and waved at him. I was going to miss him so much. Probably, as much, as I miss Sasuke, my mum, and Kei all the time. That thought made me sad so I tried to think about something else. I went back to my apartment and I decided to go back to the Taki village to see my mother and Kei. It didn't take me that long to get there and I was so happy when I finally saw my mother sitting on the porch of a little wooden house.

"Akira-chan!" she said as soon as she saw me.

"Okasan!" I said and started to run towards her. Once I reached her I hugged her tightly. "Okasan! It's so good to see you! I missed you so much!"

"Oh I missed you too!" her eyes were watery. "How have you been?"

"Oh Okasan! So many things have happened since the last time I saw you! I wouldn't even know where to begin!"

"How about the beginning?" I laughed and so did my mother. I told her everything that was going on the past year. Including, everything that happened with Sasuke.

"You shouldn't go near that boy" my mother said. "His brother killed the entire Uchiha clan; do I need to remind you of that? Those genes could be passed down; he might be even more crazy then his brother. Stay away from him. You don't know what he is capable of!"

"Okasan, please he is the only Uchiha left apart from his brother, he is someone important to me, and I want to get to know him."

"Don't talk about him like you know him!"

"Okasan I don't, but neither do you! I might have never spent any time with him, but that still doesn't mean that I don't care for him! All I've been doing is worrying about him and regretting the fact that I didn't build up my courage to talk to him! But I will! I don't care how, but I will speak to him, even if it's the last thing I do!"

"Akira you…"

"Okasan please, can we not fight over this" I interrupted her "I came to see you; the last thing I want to do is fight with you."

"You're right. Let's just not talk about this anymore."

"How have you been?" I asked my mother with a smile and she told me all about the year she spent in Taki. After I said good bye to my mother again I went to find Kei.

I missed Kei a lot too when I was in Konoha. I felt like I missed everyone, I missed my mother, I missed Kei, I missed my father and I missed Sasuke. My heart full of holes that the people I missed were supposed to fill. I was scared that I will never see Sasuke again, but I was wrong, I did see him, but it was not a happy encounter like I wanted it to be.

I bumped into Kei as I was lost in my train of thought.

"Hey watch were you're going!" she said sounding annoyed

"Sorry Oneesan" I said

"Akira is that you?" she sounded surprised "Oh I missed you so much!" she gave me a warm smile and I smiled back at her. "What brings you here to Taki?"

"Well Oneesan I was hoping you might take me on as your apprentice for two years, I want to learn some new techniques and become strong! Just like you!"

"Of course! I will help you become the best you can be!" and so our two year training started.

**I hope you enjoyed reading this, and I promise the next chapter has a bit more action in it! XD Please Review! **


	3. Chapter 3

Intense Training

**Thank you so much to everyone who keeps reading this story! I promise it will have a bit more action now! XD This chapter does have some swearing but nothing too bad (I think…). Hope you enjoy! **

**Akira (P.O.V)**

"Are you ready then?" she asked me and smiled. "Let's go! Training is important!"

"Yeah…" I tried to sound convincing but I couldn't even convince myself, there was no way I could convince Kei. She put her hand on my shoulder and smiled.

"Don't worry little sister! I promise it won't be that bad!" she winked at me. Then I could have sworn she said 'It will be worse' but it must have been my imagination. I laughed at that and we started walking not really sure where we were going.

We were walking round for days without stopping.

"Kei…" I said completely out of breath and tired. "Were…are…we…going…?"

"You have no condition whatsoever" she replayed. "Would you like to rest for a while your Hines?" She then added sarcastically. I gave her a look which showed that I am not impressed with her comment but instead of saying anything about it I said

"Yes I'm begging you!" and collapsed on the floor.

"Damn she is so weak. It looks like I'm going to have to try very, very hard."

"I heard that!"

"You were supposed to!" and so we both started laughing. She always knew how to make me laugh and she never took anything seriously. She also had trust issues. Although she never told me herself, I could feel it and it hurt me greatly. Once we stopped laughing I fell asleep. When I next opened my eyes it was daylight. I yawned loudly.

"What time is it?" I asked an already awake Kei who was polishing her kunai. She looked at me and said

"Good morning to you too. I'm fine thanks for asking. And for your information it's about 3pm. You slept for 18 hours! God you can sleep!"

"Oh ok." I replayed getting back to sleep.

"Don't you dare! Do you want to train or don't you? Ninjas don't sleep!"

"Well, that's not true, because they do have to sleep." I saw anger building up on Kei's face "But I get your point." I added quickly. Then I remembered the real reason for this training and got up to my feet. She rolled her eyes at me, I realised she likes to do that a lot.

"By the way" she said all of a sudden. "Why did you decide, to come train with me anyway?"

"Well…" I began not really sure what I should say. I wasn't expecting this question, not now at least after we've been walking for a couple of days. Since she was my best friend I decided to tell her everything, leaving out nothing. I found it difficult to say his name without feeling sad. Kei listened intently and she seemed interested and sympathetic. When I finished she said

"I wish I never asked." But I knew it was only to make me smile. "Do you want something to eat?"

"No!" Kei was shocked at my response, if I would have been famous for anything it would have been eating. "I have to work hard so I can bring him home."

"Alright sister! Don't get so emotional."

"It's not my fault I care about him so much."

"You shouldn't get so attached to people."

"Sorry that I care about some people unlike you, who don't care about anyone!"

"I don't care about other people because I don't want to end up hurt like you!" Kei stated to walk away and I caught up to her and we walked I silence. I was surprised to see that Kei wasn't angry. Her face seemed sad and scared with pain. She had a similar look in her eyes to the one I saw in Sasuke's, but hers seemed worse. Much worse.

We've been walking in silence for about three hours. Finally feeling guilty I said,

"I'm sorry" in a voice, just above the whisper. "I didn't mean to hurt you like this."

"It's ok" she said smiling. However her smile wasn't her usual smile which was full of joy and happiness. This one was a sad smile.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah I'm fine." she replayed nonchalantly.

"But… you don't seem fine."

"Look I'm telling you I'm fucking fine! So just drop it!"

"I'm sorry. But I just don't like to see you like this. Talk to me."

"Well you should have thought of that before you said what you said. Plus I'm a person who likes to keep to herself." Then I remembered that last person who kept to himself is now a missing-ninja, an outsider. I did not want that to happen to Kei so I prompted myself to find out what was wrong. I already failed him and I don't want to fail her.

"Just tell me! You at least trust me right?"

"No. Not even you." Her words cut through me like a sharp sword and tears filled my eyes. At that moment I thought I'm going to lose her. She looked at me and saw my tears.

"Look I didn't mean to hurt you." she said "But I have some trust issues and I don't trust people easily." I smiled at her trying to show her that I was ok, even though my heart was breaking inside.

"Harder! Faster!" Kei was yelling at me as I was punching a tree. The time of our training has finally arrived. "Common! Do you want to save that boy or not?" I stopped and gave her a long hard look.

"No" I said with a hint of sarcasm.

"Not the answer I was looking for!" she threw a kunai straight at my face. I managed to doge it just in time. "Oh shame! It missed!" she winked at me. She could be a real bitch sometimes. But I still loved her like my sister.

"You're horrible!" I yelled at her.

"Shut your mouth before you catch a fly!" and so she threw another kunai at me, this time she didn't miss. It hit my leg and I screamed in pain.

"Woops! You know what they say, shit happens! By the way doge it next time idiot!"

"Fuck you!"

"Right back at you sister! I have to say, I'm impressed. A week with me and you're already using the F word! Nice!"

"Maybe you could help me! This actually hurts!"

"Oh yeah! I forgot! Well deal with it yourself. On a battlefield there is no one to help you. And that is the harsh reality. Once you're a ninja, you're on your own. You wanted training, you got it!"

"So what do I do with it?"

"Amputate it!" she teased and I gulped. "I was kidding you freak of nature! You are from the Acamide clan aren't you? Heal yourself!"

"It's obvious you never even touched a book."

"Maybe I never touched a book, but at least I know some skills!"

"You should know we can't heal ourselves." I narrowed my eyes as I spoke.

"Really? Well that sucks for you."

"Aren't you gonna help me or not?"

"Hmm no"

"Thanks. Did you know you remind me of the ocean? You make me sick."

"Ordinarily people live and learn. You just live."

"You are the kind of person who, when one first meets you, one doesn't like you. But when one gets to know you better, one hates you."

"Do you want me to heal you or not?"

"Yes…please!"

"Alright then!" she came over to me and pulled out the kunai in a less then gentle way. I didn't say anything even though it was painful. Once she healed my leg she put a bandage on it.

"Thank you" I said to her.

"Don't mention it. But doge it next time and don't just stand there looking like an idiot." I looked at her and stuck my tongue out at her to which she responded with a smirk. I went back to punching the tree and thought to myself that with every punch I'm getting closer to him.

After our long intense training session Kei decided to cook us dinner. After a long while of moving around and putting different things into pans and mixing it she came over to me and placed a bowl in my hands. The contents looked like something a dog threw up. I looked at it and asked,

"What the hell is this?"

"Your dinner bitch!"

"Are you seriously expecting me to eat this?"

"Eat it or leave it. I don't care. I'm a ninja not a cook!" After a while of hesitation I poked my 'dinner' with my finger. I could have sworn it moved.

"What's in this?"

"You know, blackberries, nettles, ninja surviving guide to cooking." she said waving a book at me.

"That doesn't sound that bad." I said taking a big bite of something that looked like porridge.

"Oh and I forgot to say! It also contains bugs. Not poisonous bugs, notorious bags that will keep you alive for the next two years!"

"Eww!" I said spitting out the porridge. "I have to eat bugs for the next two years?"

"Yeah you want to be a ninja right?" she stated to walk away but looked over her shoulder at me "And by the way, I was kidding. There are no bugs in it. But it's a shame you didn't see your face because it was priceless!" she walked away and I was left opened mouthed with my porridge.

**Thanks for reading! To be continued… in the next chapter, Akira and Kei bump into a very unexpected duo… **


	4. Chapter 4

Encounter

**Some swearing. Please enjoy and review! **

**Akira (P.O.V)**

The days flew past. I and Kei were training and then she cooked for me. She was like a true sister looking after me. We also had at least one argument a day but it all turned all right. I learned a lot from her. We went to different towns to run different errands. On our way to the Land of Tea we bumped into some very unpleasant guests. Sasori of the Red Sand and Deidara from the Hidden Stone village. I looked at both of them, one was short and fat and the other tall and thin. It was almost comical. The tall one had long blond hair and looked almost handsome if it wasn't for the fact that he reminded me of one of the girls I have seen in Konoha. I heard Kei say,

"Wow! Check that one out!" pointing to the blond guy. She NEVER took anything seriously. I wanted to laugh but I thought better of it since I wanted to carry on living. Then my eyes rested on the ugly, short, fat guy. But the more I looked at him the more something didn't seem right. Then it hit me,

"Why would anyone want to hide in such an ugly puppet?" I said without thinking and then I mentally slapped myself for saying that. I'm sure Kei wanted to slap me in real life but she was able to restrain herself.

"Hello ladies, un!" said Kei's subject of cheeking out.

"Well hello there, handsome." Kei said winking at the blond guy.

"What is your name beautiful, un?"

"My name is Kei. And yours?" I was impressed at how amazing at flirting she was.

"Deidara, un."

"Who is your little friend?" She said pointing to the fat guy.

"That is Sasori, un." he was definitely into Kei, it was easy to tell by his grin.

"Un, un, un! What the fuck is wrong with you?" as soon as Kei said that, I knew we were gonna die. It couldn't have gone on much longer, she was being TOO nice. The guy who identified himself as Deidara narrowed his eyes and looked at me. His glare was so deadly that I had to look away. If looks could kill, I would not be alive today.

"God, you look so HOT when you're mad!" Kei's answer to all problems. When she couldn't be bovered to fight, she flirted with her opponent until he had enough and went away. The…easy way out…I suppose. The look on Deidara's face softened and he grinned again. _Huh_ I thought to myself, _looks like we are going to live, yet another glorious day_. Sasori was keeping quiet and I was wondering why he didn't say or do anything. Was he suffering from a bad case of shyness? Well somehow, I found that hard to believe.

"Well see you ladies, un." Deidara said taking off his hat and bowing.

"Good bye, gorgeous!" Kei winked at him "I hope to 'bump' into you again sometime." I rolled my eyes. God she could sound like a real slut when she wanted to. Once Deidara and his minion left Kei turned to me and said

"Un, un, un! What the hell, right?" I nodded and she laughed. "Remember sister, if there is no way out, use your best assets and flirt! I call this my slut-jutsu!"

"Wow." I said sarcastically "What a valuable life lesson this was!" Kei slapped me on the back of my head and we carried on with our quest to the Land of Tea.

Our training time was coming to an end and I really felt like I have connected with Kei. She was family to me now. Proper family. Like the older sister I never had but always wanted. While we were walking I turned to her and said,

"Do you remember the time when we were fighting and I got really upset because you said you don't trust me?"

"No…but carry on…"

"Common! How could you not remember?"

"What if I do remember?"

"Ugh do you know what? Just forget it! Forget I said anything!"

"No…wait! Look just calm down, and we can talk about this."

"That's the problem! You don't want to talk! You don't want to let me in and tell me what is really on your mind!"

"If I tell you what happened, would you piss off?"

"No, but tell me anyway."

"Fine! But you'll be sorry later!" and so Kei began to tell me the truth…

"When I was younger in the Taki village, my parents and me led a simple life. My dad was a construction worker and my mum was working in a hospital. We never had luxuries but we had enough, and I never complained. I loved playing with other children in our village. It was a close community and everyone cared about each other. Then…one dreadful night, the worst imaginable thing happened. An attack on our village, by non other, then the infamous Orochimaru. I never knew that monsters existed until that night. My dad took my mother and hid her well in the Hero's cave, she didn't want to go without me, but dad promised he was going to get me and bring me straight to her. However he didn't keep to his promise. He was captured by Orochimaru just like the rest of my clan. It turned out Orochimaru took a liking to my abilities. He said I was strong and would make a perfect 'vessel' whatever that meant. Then the worst thing happened. He took me by my hands and made me watch as he set fire to the building where all my clan had been, my father included. I tried to look away but he made me look, he said 'don't turn away. This will only make you stronger and more valuable. One day you will come looking for me. And if you don't, then well, I haven't lost anything!' then he laughed a cold laugh which made me shiver. After a while he let me go, but at that point, I couldn't move, scream, or even cry, because I was too numb with fear. I was looking at something that I was hoping would turn out to be a horrible nightmare. However it was all reality and a tragedy out village will never forget. From that night I didn't get attached to anyone again, for the fear of losing them." I listened as Kei told me her story with tears in my eyes. How could someone do something so horrible was beyond me. I hoped that bastard would get what he deserved. Then I realised something. Orochimaru was that guy who Sasuke went to train with. I could not believe it. My eyes widened and sheer panic filled me. Why would Sasuke want to become like that monster? Why him? But I knew that Kei needed my full support at the moment. I looked at her with eyes full of sadness.

"Are you alright?" she gave me a look, which said she's not. I went over to her, and gave her a hug; I was no good in these types of situations. I didn't know just how similar I and she are. She gave me a light smile.

"There is one more place that we have to go to before your training is completed."

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"You will see." She answered. We carried on walking towards the unknown destination.


	5. Chapter 5

Unexpected...

**Akira (P.O.V)**

We walked for few days until we reached a place that looked like an underground hideout, but I didn't know whose it was. We entered it and walked through a maze of tunnels until Kei stopped.

"What is it?" I asked her.

"Nothing, I need you to stay here for now. I will be back soon." She told me with a serious look on her face.

"Where are you going?" I asked again, but Kei didn't answer, she just walked away from me. I was standing in the place she told me to for about five minutes before I got really bored and decided to explore my surroundings. Again I walked through the maze of tunnels until I saw someone leaning against a wall.

"What are you doing here?" the person asked. The voice sounded familiar but I couldn't put a face to it.

"I got lost." I told the stranger.

"You're lying" he told me while pushing himself off of the wall and starting to walk towards me. I squinted my eyes trying to work out who he is and when I did, I could not believe my eyes. It was… Uchiha Sasuke.

**Kei (P.O.V)**

I was running through the corridors to find the person who killed my clan, my father. Orochimaru had to pay. I run through the corridors for about ten minutes looking into every room I came across. Finally I found the room I was looking for. Sitting on a high throne like chair was Orochimaru. He's skin was so pale, it looked almost white, and his hair was waist length and black. He had amber eyes with slits in his pupils and purple markings around his eyes, it reminded me of a snake. He didn't seem surprised to see me.

"So… you decided to come to me." It wasn't a question, but a statement.

"Not really…" I told him.

"You came to kill me then." Again it was not a question.

"Bingo!" I exclaimed clapping my hands together. To this Orochimaru responded with a cold and harsh laugh.

"You really think you can beat ME?" he asked.

"I don't know if I can beat you or not. But it's worth a try!" he laughed again and got up to his feet. He coughed up blood. "I can see you're not in your best form." I said with a smirk and took out a kunai. I took a fighting stance and readied myself for his first attack.

It all happened so fast. I hated Orochimaru with so much passion, that as soon as he ran at me, something inside me snapped and before I knew it, it was all over. I stood in the middle of the room, huffing and puffing and covered in blood, with Orochimaru's dead corpse at my feet.

"I did it." I said to myself while trying to catch a breath. I laughed out loud. Revenge, felt good…

**Akira (P.O.V)**

"Sasuke" my voice was just above a whisper.

"How do you know my name?" he asked and narrowed his eyes.

"I remember you from the academy, back in Konoha." I told him.

"What are you doing here?"

"I told you, I got lost."

"Stop laying." He said again and pinned me to the wall holding a kunai to my throat and activating his Sharingan. I stared at him with terror in my eyes. "What are you doing here?" he asked me again.

"I…umm…well…I…umm…" I stuttered. He pressed the kunai harder to my throat.

"I'm asking you for the last time. What are you doing here?"

"Akira! Where are you?" someone screamed. "For fuck sake, I told you not to move!" I saw Kei coming around the corner. She had blood everywhere from head to toe.

"Kei!" I screamed her name.

"What?" she asked confused and took a look at herself. "Oh yeah! This blood is not mine, its Orochimaru's." Kei titled her head to the side and asked,

"Do you want to let go of her?" Sasuke realised me and I fell to my knees. Then he disappeared into the corridor. Kei run to my side and kneeled down next to me and said,

"I thought I told you not to move. This guy could have killed you."

"I'm sorry." I said to her still in slight shock. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah I'm fine! Although…I think some of this blood might be mine…but I will survive."

"Would you like me to heal you?"

"I think it would be wise to get out of here since I just killed Orochimaru…"

"I think that's probably best…what what? You killed who?" I said feeling a bit confused. We both helped each other to our feet.

"Now is not the time for explanations! We have to leave! Now!" and with that, we left the hideout as quickly as it was possible.

**Sasuke (P.O.V)**

_What did she mean 'It's not my blood its Orochimaru's'_ I thought to myself. I run to the room where Orochimaru was always sitting and opened the door slowly. At first I saw Kabuto. He had black eyes, and gray hair which he kept in a ponytail. He wore a dark purple shirt with a high collar, a white undershirt, fingerless gloves with armoured plates on the back of the hand, a white cloth waistband worn at an angle, dark purple pants, blue ninja shoes, a shuriken holster on his right leg, and of course his round glasses.

"Where's Orochimaru?" I asked him.

"Look" Kabuto pointed to a dead body on a floor. I went closer to have a look. I opened my eyes in shock. It was Orochimaru. So that crazy girl really did have his blood on her clothes. "Who did this?" Kabuto asked me.

"I don't know her, but I heard her name was Kei. She must be good though, if she defeated Orochimaru." I replied.

"That is Lord Orochimaru to you!" Kabuto snapped at me. "He was wakened with that disease. I should have been here to help him."

"You don't know what she was capable off. If you were here, she would probably have killed you too." I said to Kabuto "I wonder what he did to piss her off though." I added.

"Don't joke around idiot! Lord Orochimaru is dead!"

"Yeah, so you said." I took another look at Orochimaru. He looked really beat up. Weakened or not, this girl was truly strong for doing this to him. "Well, he is no longer of any value to me. I'm leaving." With that I left the room. Kabuto either didn't hear me, or didn't want to hear me. _It's time_ I thought to myself as I walked to the place where Orochimaru kept some of the people hostage. _Time, to gather my own team, and make my brother pay._

**Akira (P.O.V)**

Once we were outside, I began to heal her, while Kei told me about her fight with Orochimaru. Thankfully most of the blood on her was Orochimaru's and her wounds were only minor. I concentrated hard, until she was complete healed. I looked up at her and realised she was watching me this whole time.

"What?" I asked.

"You're ready." She announced. "It's time to go home. You have grown a lot over the last two years and I'm proud of you." I was shocked and it took a few seconds for the news to sink in. "Thank you for everything! I will never forget it!" I flashed her a huge smile.

"Here" she told me handing me her old forehead protector. "Congratulations on graduating." We both smiled at each other.

And so after two years of intense training with my older sister, I was finally ready to return to Konoha.

"Thank you so much Oneesan!" I said to Kei before I left. "I will never forget the two wonderful years we have spent together."

"Neither will I Akira." she smiled "You have become a wonderful kunoichi and I have a lot of respect for you. I hope your path guides you to Sasuke." Of course she didn't know that Sasuke was the boy holding the kunai to my throat in Orochimaru's hideout, and since I wanted him to live, I didn't tell her.

"Thank you Oneesan and so do I." after this I went back to Konoha waving at Kei as she disappeared in the distance.


	6. Chapter 6

The Return

**Akira (P.O.V)**

When I entered through the Konoha gate I noticed that it hasn't changed much since the last time I have seen it. I on the other hand changed completely, now I had long wavy red hair. A short sleeved turquoise dress which ended right above my knees. Black shorts underneath the dress and black ninja shoes. I wore the forehead protector that Kei gave me on the side of my head and I still wore my silver heart necklace. After walking around the village for a few minutes, I heard from some ninjas that Naruto was back in the village and so I went to look for him to say hello. I found him at the Ichiraku eating a bowl of ramen.

"Hey Akira-chan!" he said "I haven't seen you for two years! You changed so much I could barley recognise you! You look more womanly!"

"Thanks Naruto-kun" I said and blushed.

"Want to join me for a bowl of ramen? We need to catch up!"

"Sure! But only if you're paying!" I said and winked. Naruto started to laugh, and then I realised just how much I missed him. We spent a long time talking and managed to go through five bowls of ramen each. Of course this was nothing for Naruto, but I on the other hand managed to beat my own record. I was really glad to see him again, he helped me through so much, and I don't know what I would have done without him or Kei or my mother. I was happy, truly, but I still wanted to save Sasuke and I was not going to give up.

Naruto kept going for some missions and kept coming back. Each time he did we went for ramen at the Ichiraku. This became kind of our routine. However I felt useless. I didn't go on missions I was training all the time when Naruto was away and I spent most of my time with him when he was back. I had little experience and I was afraid that when the time came to save Sasuke I wouldn't know what to do. I told myself that I'm going to be fine as long as Naruto was with me. But it was such a long time waiting I slowly started to give up hope of ever seeing him again. Naruto however, didn't doubt it for one second. I wanted to have as much faith as he had. At last when I thought the time would never come, it did. It did, at the worst possible moment.

I heard that there was an attack on the Taki village; although not a lot of people were hurt my mother was killed. I was devastated and I finally understood fully Sasuke's pain and rage. I finally understood how he felt and I wish I hadn't. I was hoping it was all a nightmare and I would wake up in my mother's arms with my father next to her, but it was reality. Now I was truly alone. The pain was so unbearable, I cried and cried. I cried so hard I was exhausted and could cry no more. I was sat in my room not talking to anyone until the day of the funeral came, and Naruto came in to check on me like he did every day this past week.

"Akira-chan" he said softly. "You should go to the funeral. I'll arrange for one of the ninjas to go with you. Shikamaru, he said you two already know each other."

"Thank you" I said without looking at him. "But why can't you come with me?"

"I have some news, but I didn't want to tell you since you were grieving."

"What news?" I asked finally looking at him.

"We have found Sasuke and Me, Sakura, Sai and Yamato are going to bring him back."

"Oh!" I cried out and a fresh batch of tears escaped my eyes.

"This time we are bringing him back!"

"Naruto-kun! Thank you!" I thought maybe I was going to have the chance to speak with him after all.

After I returned from the Taki village I was still upset over the death of my mother and I could not get over it. This time I had no one to help me get through it. I felt rage and anger and unbearable pain on top of it. What was happening to me? I felt like I could hurt anyone just so that they might feel a bit of my pain so that I wouldn't be alone in this world of darkness. I knew Kei would comfort me, but she has gone away on a special mission and wasn't expected to come back anytime soon. I didn't hold a grudge against her; she didn't know what was happening. Naruto and the rest of his team came back, but again Sasuke wasn't with them. Naruto was looking sad and gloom and I didn't like seeing him like this.

"How can I become the Hokage if I can't even save a friend?" he said to me when he saw me.

"Don't worry. Next time I'm coming with you and we will bring him back together. Believe it!" I said and he smiled. After that he told me all that happened, and I listened in terror as he described a man whose name was Sasuke, but didn't seem like the Sasuke I have seen at all. I knew we had to get him back before it was too late. He was falling into the darkness and I knew that that place has no way out of it.

The days went by and all I thought about was Sasuke. Now I was more determent than ever to bring him back. Naruto went after him once again while he was on another mission but came back without him again. Naruto said that Sasuke had killed his brother Itachi and had gotten revenge for his clan, but a man wearing an orange mask got to him first and Naruto couldn't reach him in time. However, then bringing him back had to be put on hold as there came a terrible tragedy, and the whole village was destroyed by Pein. Naruto's sensei Jiraya had fallen in battle with Pein and now Naruto knew the pain of losing someone important to him. I let him cry on my shoulder but it didn't make it easier for him. I was crying with him remembering the people I have lost. Naruto had defeated Pein and rescued the whole village. He became the hero of Konoha, but he already was my hero and I admired him. After Pein's attack the whole village was in ruins and our current Hokage Lady Tsunade was in a coma and no one knew when she was going to wake up and so one of the Elders, Donzo became the next Hokage.

After some time the five Kages were summoned to a meeting and Donzo left. Then horrid news reached Konoha. Sasuke has kidnapped the Raikage's younger brother Killer Bee and had become a part of the Akatsuki. I was so shocked when I heard it that I could barely stand up. My eyes were wide open.

"What are you talking about? You must be talking about some other Sasuke. This cannot be happening!" I was in denial but it was true. I knew that this was the time we had to go and see him. It was now or never. It might have already been too late.


	7. Chapter 7

The reunion

**Akira (P.O.V)**

I, Naruto, Yamato and Kakashi went to the land of Iron to convince the Raikage to let Sasuke live, as he wanted to kill him for kidnapping his younger brother. I was going with another purpose. I wasn't going home until I have spoken to Sasuke. I was becoming slightly scared of him, but he had to listen to me. We found the Raikage and Naruto begged him to let Sasuke live, but the Raikage dismissed him. Naruto looked truly devastated. We were resting and a masked man appeared in front of us and I thought it might be the same person who took Sasuke the last time.

"Madara!" Naruto said and Yamato had to use his wood element to restrain Naruto from getting to Madara, and also to hold Madara so he wouldn't run away. Then something strange happened. Madara told us all about Sasuke, the whole truth and how Itachi had no choice but to kill his entire clan. He told us that Itachi loved his little baby brother so much he couldn't bring himself to kill him. I was shocked; I never considered that Itachi was actually a good person. Madara also said that Sasuke was going to get the revenge on the elders of Konoha for ordering Itachi to kill his clan. Then it hit me. Donzo is an elder, that means Sasuke will plan to kill him and probably here too. After Madara finished talking he just disappeared right in front of our eyes.

It took me a while to get away from Naruto, I didn't want to leave him but I felt like this is something I have to do alone. I tried to sense Sasuke's chakra with my Koriigakume but I couldn't feel it. I was walking around for what felt like hours, until finally I felt his chakra and I ran in the direction where he was. His chakra was becoming stronger and more and more visible. I was running as fast as my legs would carry me, until I finally saw him. He was in a middle of a fight with someone, and that someone was Donzo. So I was right after all. I thought better then to get involved with their battle so watched as Sasuke was beating up Donzo, and as Donzo was beating up Sasuke. Then a horrific thing happened. Donzo took a red haired girl as a hostage and placed her right in front of him. From watching the fight I worked out that this girl had to be Sasuke's team mate as she was helping him. Sasuke pierced right through that poor girl with his lightning blade just so that he can kill Donzo. I watched with tears in my eyes. Who was that guy? It could not have been the same boy I saw smiling that time with his teammates. His chakra felt powerful and cold. Was it too late to save him already? He let the girl drop to the floor; she wasn't dead but extremely wounded. Donzo tried to run away, but Sasuke matched his pace simply by walking. Donzo had no way of surviving. Then I saw Madara again, he told Sasuke to get back and disappeared himself. To my surprise Donzo exploded in a huge black ball. I could not believe I was seeing this. Sasuke looked worn out from the fight, and now was my chance to talk to him. He was going over to the wounded girl and it took me a while to work out that he was going to kill her with a chidori. I ran so fast hoping I would reach him before he reaches her.

"Sasuke stop!" I screamed when I thought I'm not going to make it in time. His chidori went out and he looked back at me.

"And why should I?" he asked in a cold voice, it was so harsh it made me shiver.

"Don't kill her! She is your friend, is she not?"

"I don't have any friends. I'm alone."

"No! You are not alone!" he looked at me surprised.

"What?"

"I said you are not alone!"

"Start making sense this second! I don't have time for these stupid games!" he looked really annoyed.

"You think you are the only one from the Uchiha clan, but you're wrong! There is another person."

"And who would that be?"

"Me."

"What? You dare disgrace the Uchiha by calming to be one of them?"

"I swear to you! I am not lying! I am from the Uchiha clan! I wanted to tell you for so long, but somehow I never had the courage to tell you."

"Liar! I should kill you right now for this fabrication!" he started to form his chidori.

"No wait! I can prove to you I'm telling the truth!"

"How?" he asked the look of madness still in his eyes.

"I will show you my Sharingan!"

"Fine. If I can see your Sharingan I might let you live." I closed my eyes then opened them after a while.

"Look!" I said, one finger pointing to my eyes.

"Hahaha!" he laughed a harsh laugh. "I knew you were lying! Itachi killed everyone apart from me!" then I understood, I haven't awaken my Sharingan in such a long time, I forgot how to activate it. I was so shocked from my thought I failed to notice Sasuke charging towards me. By the time I realised it was too late. I felt a sharp stab right through my side. I coughed up blood and fell to the ground. I closed my eyes and opened them again, slowly. Something had to change in them, because Sasuke's face changed. Before, it looked cold and mad, now it looked frightened and shocked. So my Sharingan awoke after all. Sasuke fell to his knees.

"What have I done?" he asked quietly and looked at his hands. I felt some raindrops dripping on my face, but it wasn't raining. It took me a while to work out that Sasuke was crying.

"Don't…cry…" I managed to say. The pain in my side made it hard to talk however. "I'm…glad…I finally…met…you...such…a shame…that…it's under…these…circumstances." He placed his hand under my head.

"I'm so sorry. I was so filled with rage and pain. I didn't think you were telling the truth."

"I'm…not…mad…I…hope…you will…finally…see the…light…I hope…you…will move…on…don't…let…the…pain…consume you…anymore…" I wanted to say more but I couldn't. My body gave up, I could smell copper and I knew that it was the smell of blood, my blood flowing out of my body. And so I closed my eyes for the last time while smiling at my killer, my family, my love…


	8. Chapter 8

Kei'S Revange

**Akira (P.O.V)**

I opened my eyes slowly and I saw Kei's worried face. I thought that was only my imagination, however I was wrong.

"Please don't let me be too late!" I heard her worried voice say. I felt her place two hands on my side where Sasuke had stabbed me. Slowly, I could feel my life coming back to me. I was being pulled out of the darkness.

"What…?" I tried to say but my voice was weak.

"Shh" Kei said "Don't try to talk, I'm not finished healing you yet." Although I didn't know it at the time but Kei was from the Kaoin clan which is even more specialised in medical ninjutsu then the Acamide. She was slowly bringing me back to life. Kei was always there when I needed her and this was the ultimate proof. If only I went to her instead of chasing after Sasuke, none of this would have happened. As strange as it was, I didn't hate him. I felt sorry for him and I truly wished to help him.

"What… What are you doing here?" I asked Kei when I fully regained consciousness.

"I'm on a special mission to kill Madara for attacking our village." I coughed up blood while she was speaking. "Who did this to you?"

"It… It was Uchiha Sasuke." It was still painful to talk.

"That Uchiha brat is going to pay for this!"

"No! Please don't hurt him Oneesan!"

"I don't understand why you care about that asshole so much anyway, he is nothing to you! Not your family and not even your friend! Why don't you understand that? Being with him will only cause you more pain!"

"Please! I'm begging you!" I began to cry. "Don't hurt him!"

"He will pay for this! I need to get you to a hospital first though. I've done all I can, but you still need professional help."

"Please Kei! He didn't mean to do it! Don't hurt him!" I coughed up blood again.

"How can I not get revenge on him? Look at you! Look at what he has done to you! If it was the other way around, would you just stand there, and do nothing?" I didn't have an answer, of course if it was the other way around, I would go after him, hunt him down and kill him. She saw that what she said left me speechless. "So for once, could you please shut up?" I tried to protest then, but I was too tired and too worn out. I couldn't even sit up. It was even painful to smile. When I tried to sit up, I cried out in pain.

"Don't move!" she said "Just lay down!" I tried to listen to her, but her voice became distant and her face blurry.

The next thing I remember is waking up in a hospital bed with Naruto and Kei by my side. I looked at her, and realised that she hasn't changed much. She had dirty blond hair which she wore in a pony tail. She kept her fringe all this time. She wore black trousers with her forehead protector still as a belt. She had a red sleeveless top which went down to her belly button. She still wore her blue ninja shoes and a lot of bracelets but she only had them on her right hand.

"You're finally awake!" Kei said happily.

"Oh Akira-chan! I was so worried about you!" Naruto hugged me gently.

"Thank you" I said to both of them smiling. Then I saw Sai standing in the door way. He had short jet-black hair, ink black eyes and very pale skin. He wore a black shirt matching his black pants and his regular ninja shoes. He was drawing something on his scroll which he always carried with him.

"Hey Sai" I said but he carried on drawing. Kei got up from my bed, went over to Sai and smacked him on the back of the head.

"You baka!" she said "This is no time to be drawing! Look she's awake!" Sai looked at me and said

"I'm glad you're okay." then went back to drawing. Kei rolled her eyes and I laughed so hard it hurt me. After some time talking to me, Kei and Sai went to get me some food. They were gone for a long time and when they came back, they were both smiling.

Kei and Naruto stayed with me for five days. During that time Naruto didn't leave my side once. On the sixth day I woke up Kei was gone.

"Where… where is she?" I asked Naruto.

"Morning Akira-chan!" Naruto said smiling looking at me. "She left this morning. She told me to look after you for now." Then I knew, she went after him already. I also realised that she didn't tell Naruto the truth. If she said to him that Sasuke did this to me and she was going to get revenge, he would stop her, or at least would have gone with her. I closed my eyes and prayed that Kei and Sasuke will both survive their meeting.

**Kei (P.O.V)**

_Who the hell does he think he is!_ I asked myself as I was running through the forest. _He thinks he can hurt Akira and get away with it? He is very much mistaken! He will pay for this no matter what! _I returned to the place where I have found Akira. The dreadful image of when I found her unconscious, returning to my head. I thought she was really dead and that scared me so much. I couldn't bring myself to think about it anymore. Killing Madara has to wait, this is a personal matter. I looked around but there was no clue as to where Sasuke might be now. I saw him before. He run away when he saw me, it was obvious he was in no shape to fight. I didn't go after him because I had to help Akira. I tried to sense his presence with my chakra but it looked like he run away very far now. _What a coward_ I though. He can't even take responsibility for his actions. Then all of a sudden I felt someone's chakra. It wasn't Sasuke's though. It was someone's I recognised but I couldn't quite point out who it was.

"Get out whoever you are!" I said sounding firm. Suddenly Sai walked out from behind a tree.

"I'm sorry" he said. "I didn't mean to scare you. I was just wondering something…"

"What?" I asked and I could have sworn he blushed.

"Well… I read about something once…"

"Oh no! No book talk! I don't have time for this!"

"I'm sorry but I just read that…"

"Sai no! Go back to Konoha!" I could see he was hurt and I felt bad. "Look, I'm sorry, but I don't have time for this now. I have to do something… important."

"That's all right" he said "I'll come with you then!" he smiled.

"No, you can't come with me."

"But I read one time, that friends help their friends in need. And I can tell that something troubles you."

"Sai… You…"

"So I'm coming with you! I will help you do, whatever you are doing."

"Sai, look what I'm about to do, Naruto would never approve of it and I know you two are friends. Just go back. I don't want to be the reason you and Naruto are not friends."

"Don't worry, I'll handle Naruto."

"Why would you do this, for me?"

"I can't explain it. When I look at you, it makes me happy and nervous at the same time. I don't know this feeling. I never felt it before. But I know that I miss you when I don't see you and I don't want to leave you when I'm with you. I hope this is nothing bad. I need you. It hurts me right here" he placed his hand on his heart "when you are not around me."

"Sai…" I didn't know what to say. No one has ever told me they love me like this. What he said almost made me cry and he could see it.

"Kei I'm so sorry! I upset you, haven't I? I've said something wrong."

"No Sai… What you feel is wonderful!" I went up to him and placed my hands on his face. "The feeling you are talking about is love"

"Love? I have heard about it before, but I don't know what it feels like."

"Well, it feels exactly like this! Oh Sai!" I hugged him tightly. "What you are feeling is the most wonderful feeling in the world! I'm ashamed to admit thought you were an emotionless freak!" Sai laughed and so did I. "But now I see the true you. The person behind your fake smile."

"I promise to look after you and fight for you until I breathe my last breath. I will never let anyone hurt you." I could not hold my tears in any longer and a few tears escaped my eyes. I leaned in and kissed him gently on the lips. He looked surprised. "This means that I feel the same way." I explained to him.

We were hugging for a while until I finally remembered what I have to do.

"Oh!" I said "I have to go."

"I'll come with you."

"Sai I can't ask you to do this!"

"You don't have to; I want to come with you." This made me so happy; I don't have to do this by myself. I felt a bit better, Akira was safe in a hospital with Naruto, and Sai was coming with me to deal with Sasuke, although he didn't know what he was helping me with. I had to tell him, I wouldn't let him get involved until he knew exactly what I was doing.

"Look Sai, the reason Akira is in the hospital is because of Sasuke. He stabbed her and if I hadn't arrived when I did, she would have been dead. So now, I'm going to look for Sasuke to kill him for what he had done to her. Do you still want to come with me?"

"Yes, of course. I won't let you do this by yourself."

"Thank you Sai." I said while smiling at him.

"You're welcome. I don't want you to get hurt so I won't let you go by yourself." I smiled at him again and told him that we should get going. The only problem was, I didn't even know where to start looking.

"Sai" I asked after a few hours of pointless walking. "We are never going to find him like this! Could you please use your birds and look for him?"

"Yes. Of course." He replayed. He drew a couple of birds on his scroll and brought them to life with his chakra. Then he set them off on their way. "They should find him soon hopefully." He said smiling. I liked it when he smiled. It made all of this easier. I just hoped both of us would make it out alive. We sat on a tree for a while. Sai's birds were still looking for Sasuke. He was talking to me about his brother and I listened intently. The story was so sad. Sai's relationship to his brother was the same as mine and Akira's. Not related by blood, but related by heart. He told me how his brother died and how he was not sure what he was meant to feel. This poor boy was so damaged and I felt pity for him. I wanted to help him, and I realised the only way I can help him is to love him. Then all of a sudden I stopped my train of thought.

"Sai! You're crying!" I was in shock "Why are you crying?"

"I… I don't know." He replied slowly. "I feel this strange pain in my chest as I think about my brother." Then I understood. He was finally feeling the pain of losing his brother. I gave him a tight hug.

"Sai, it's ok to cry. Before you weren't able to grieve for your brother and now you can. This is a natural reaction." I felt like I was finally getting through to him but I still didn't like to see him cry. It hurt me as well.

"Thank you." He said while I wiped his tears. "Thank you for not thinking I'm a monster."

"Sai I could never think that!" As soon as I said it he smiled. However that smile soon faded.

"Found him." he jumped off the tree and started to walk. He still had to learn a couple of things.

I was running after Sai. He knew exactly where Sasuke was and he was determined to get to him quickly. I could tell he just wanted this mission to be over. So did I. I was hoping Naruto would stick to his promise and look after Akira. _Of course he will, _I thought to myself. Naruto might be an idiot but he cares about Akira. I wanted to be there for her, as a sister should be, but I had to get revenge for her. She wouldn't hurt a fly and even though Sasuke nearly killed her, she was still protecting him. _Too bad I'm a bitch._ I thought to myself again. Someone as sweet as her couldn't go after Sasuke anyway. She would actually die if he got his hands on her again. I regretted not being there to protect her in the first place, but now I was going to put it right. Sasuke had to die. Thoughts were running through my head and I didn't even notice that Sai stopped running.

"Why did you stop?" I asked looking back at him.

"Someone is coming." He answered looking worried. "A guy in an orange mask and an Akatsuki cloak."

"Madara what the hell are you doing here?" I muttered under my breath. I barely finished speaking and Madara appeared right in front of us.


	9. Chapter 9

Consequences

**Kei (P.O.V)**

"Hello. What brings you travellers here?" Madara said to me and Sai.

"Step aside pumpkin. This doesn't concern you." I said sounding annoyed. I can't waste my time on him now; killing Sasuke was my number one goal.

"I'm afraid this road is closed!"

"Get out of my way or you'll regret it!"

"No, I'm not going anywhere. Go back to the hole you crawled out form!"

"Shut up!" Sai shouted. "Don't you dare talk to her like that!"

"And who do you think you are?" Madara said looking directly at Sai.

"Kei, go!" Sai said his eyes still on Madara "Get your revenge! I'll hold him off!"

"Thank you Sai." I said and went round Madara. From a distance I could hear sounds of battle. I hoped Sai would be ok.

I was running really fast. Now I could sense Sasuke's cold chakra. He was a true monster. I run faster and faster, I wanted to reach him as quickly as I could. Then all of a sudden I got my wish. I came into view of him and looked him straight in the face.

"You're dead!" I said to him.

"You're the one who's going to die!" he replied, the hint of madness in his voice.

"I don't think so! Don't underestimate me!"

"Who do you think you are?"

"The person who is going to end your pathetic life!"

"No one can kill me!"

"I can and I will!"

"You bitch! Now you really are going to die!" He charged towards me with a lightning blade. I dogged it with ease. Then he used a fire ball which I also dogged. This guy was no match for me. He was pathetic! Then he used his Sharingan.

"Oh! I get to see the famous Sharingan already!" I said pretending to shake in fear. "You have no skill! You are worthless!"

"Ahhhh!" he shouted as he charged towards me. I kept dodging his attacks waiting for him to get tired. I laughed at him and he looked more annoyed by the minute. He wasn't even thinking about what he was doing. He really has lost his mind. But then his Sharingan changed. Sasuke laughed a cold humourless laugh.

"Do you like my Mangekyou Sharingan?" He said looking cocky. "I got this from my brother!" I didn't even see him, he moved so fast. He landed hit after hit on me. I started to lose my balance but still managed to stand. I was beginning to get worn out and then he appeared right in front of me.

"Amaterasu!" Sasuke said closing one of his eyes. I could see black flames coming towards me.

"Damn it!" I knew those where the black flames that never go out. If even one of those touches me, it's all over.

"Wind-mirror reflection no jutsu!" I said and three mirrors appeared in front of me. This was a special jutsu. Mirrors that reflect everything. As soon as the flames touched the mirrors, they retreated back towards Sasuke.

"What?" he said in shock. "This is impossible!"

"But it is possible! What, are you scared?" Sasuke started to take his flames back. This cost him a lot of energy and chakra. He was worn out. He was huffing and puffing. I won.

"Why…why are you doing this?" Sasuke said completely out of breath.

"You try to kill my younger sister, my best friend and now you dare ask me why I'm doing this? I thought you of all people would understand revenge!"

"What? Who are you? How do you know…?"

"I'm Kei Kaoin. I know about the Uchiha, your clan and Itachi! I know all of it! You tried to kill Akira and now you will pay!" Sasuke looked really surprised.

"You're the person who killed Orochimaru!

"Yep that's me!" I said with a smirk.

"Wait…Tried? Does that mean…she's not dead?" He asked looking a bit relived.

"No I managed to save her." I answered.

"So you were the person I saw that time…"

"Yes" I interrupted him. "I'm the person you run away from you loser! And you call yourself an Uchiha! You are a disgrace to all Uchiha!" I started to form a wind chakra blade. "You are going to die now." I charged up towards him and held the blade to his throat. He looked at me with sad eyes full of regret.

"Kill me. It will make you feel better, but your sister will hate you."

"What?"

"She came all the way to talk to me, that shows she cares about me, if you kill me, she will hate you."

"She will get over it" but deep down I knew he was right. She would hate me. But I felt so angry about letting him live. I was still holding him by the neck with the blade close to it.

"I won't kill you because I'm not a monster like you are!" I finally managed to say letting him go making him fall to the ground like a pathetic weak child. "And I know how to forgive. But if you ever try to kill anyone close to me again, I will kill you." When I finished talking, I walked away from him, not looking back.

After I was out of sight for Sasuke, I started to run. I had to get to Sai and I hoped that when I arrived the fight will be over and that Sai will be okay. I run like the wind and I knew I was getting closer. I didn't hear the sounds of the battle anymore, and in a way, that made me more frightened. At least if I could hear the fight, I would have known everything is fine. When I arrived at the place where Madara and Sai have been fighting before, terror filled my head and my eyes began to water. Sai was on the ground next to a tree. I couldn't lose him after I nearly lost my sister. I began to run towards him as fast as my legs would carry me.

"Sai!" I screamed his name in horror. Once I got to him I placed one of my hands under his head. He opened his eyes and gave me a quizzical look.

"Why are you screaming my name?" he asked casually. He wasn't bleeding and he didn't seem to be in pain.

"Are you…are you hurt?" I asked the question quickly. "Where's Madara?"

"No I'm not hurt! After a while of fighting Madara decided that this was pointless and that he was wasting his time so he left very mysteriously. It looked like…he disappeared inside of his eye…well none the less; I was waiting for a while, so I decided to take a quick nap. We ninja don't get much sleep." As soon as Sai finished speaking I slapped my forehead with my palm causing Sai's head to hit the floor.

"You idiot!" I shouted with all my emotions coming out at once, anger, love, joy and relief. "I was so worried about you!" I carried on while hugging him tightly. "I thought I lost you! Don't take naps in such weird places baka!"

"Sorry Kei" he said gently hugging me back. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"I know you didn't." I smiled at him. "It's just…I never felt this way about anyone before. I would rather die than lose you." He smiled at me. Not the fake smile he was sometimes using, but a true, genuine smile. He looked absolutely gorgeous when he smiled like this and I was completely lost in his beautiful black eyes.

"Did you sort it out? With Sasuke?" His question brought me back down to earth.

"Yeah it is all sorted." Sai nodded

"So…is he dead?"

"He's alive…for now!" Sai laughed and it was simply the most beautiful sound I have ever heard.

"Let's go home babycakes!" he said out of nowhere.

"Sai don't ever call me that!" I said while punching Sai right in the face. He looked surprised and shocked. I just smiled at him and made a hand gesture at him to fallow me.

"Where do you think you're going babe?" he asked me.

"Home! Where do you think?" As soon as I let my hand drop to my side, Sai took it with his hand and we walked home together.


	10. Chapter 10

The Gift

**Akira (P.O.V)**

I had a dream which was so wonderful I didn't want to wake up. Both of my parents were still alive, Kei never left to go after Sasuke, actually he was my husband. We lived in a little house by the river. I was lying on a bench and had my head in Sasuke's lap. He was stroking my hair lovingly and we both watched our two children play together. I felt peace which I haven't felt for a long while. A loud bang brought me out of dream and I saw Naruto laying face flat on the floor. I rolled my eyes and sighed under my breath.

"Naruto?" I asked in a slightly annoyed voice as Naruto got up to his feet. "What are you doing?"

"Ahh! Morning Akira-chan!" he said rubbing the back of his head and grinning at me. _He really hasn't changed_ I thought to myself. "Well…I was coming to see you! But you were sleeping so I was just going to sneak in quietly, sit on your bed and wait till you wake up! But…it didn't work. I tripped over."

"Over what?" I asked. "There is nothing to trip over." He took a while before replying.

"Over…my own feet…" he finally said so quietly it was just above a whisper.

"And you call yourself a ninja!" I gave him a stern look. At first he looked taken aback, and then he busted out laughing. "What's so funny?" I asked. When Naruto finally managed to calm himself down he replied.

"It's just good to see that you are getting better so quickly." He said sincerely smiling at me. I couldn't help but smile back at him.

"And it's good to see you are as clumsy as ever!" I joked winking at him. He poked out his tongue at me and I saw the young Naruto I have first met, but this time he didn't seem so hurt.

"You are getting better, but you still need your rest!" He was trying to sound like the doctors that visited me frequently. I laughed at that and it made my side sting.

"Ouch." I said quietly.

"That proved my point! Now go back to sleep!" For a second, he sounded just like my dad. He always told me to go to sleep when I hurt myself as a child.

"But I just woke up!" I tried to protest but against Naruto it was no use.

"Sleep! Now!" he said pulling a face. I rolled my eyes again and then closed them. I could hear Naruto moving and all of a sudden I could feel him sitting on my bed. He took my hand in his and I feel asleep into deep slumber.

Kei came back the next day after my dream. It was also the same day I got realised from the hospital. When I got out Naruto would not leave my side. It was sweet but at the same time annoying. When I saw Kei I was really happy to see her. I missed her so much!

"Mission accomplished!" She said when she saw me. She was smiling but her smile soon faded as she saw the look of terror in my eyes and quickly added "But don't worry your 'lover boy' is still alive for now at least"

"Thank goodness!" Kei laughed and so did I. She told me everything that happened and I mean EVERYTHING. She and Sai were inseparable. It was the cutest thing I have ever seen. It was kind of like me and Naruto but less annoying because they were in love.

The next day I decided to take a walk around the village. As I was walking I saw the 'love birds' making-out on a public bench.

"Whoohoo!" I shouted "You go sis!" Kei broke the kiss and turned to look at me and at that moment I knew I was screwed.

"I knew the four weeks alone with Naruto were a bad idea because now you sound just like him!" I stuck out my tongue at her and quickly moved away before she could rip my head off. I want to the training grounds were I found no one other then Naruto.

"Hello Akira!" He grinned at me. "What brings you here?"  
"I wanted to see my favourite super clumsy ninja!"

"Who are you talking about?"

"You, you idiot!"

"Ah, right!" He laughed then all of a sudden he clutched his stomach.

"What's wrong?"

"I ate some weird tasting fruit before."

"What do you mean weird tasting?"

"Well to be honest it tasted a bit like wax."

"Is the any chance that that was fake display fruit?" I asked

raising my brow

"Oww man! But it looked so real!"

"Naruto you really are an idiot."

"Hey don't say that!"

"But what kind of a genius would eat fake fruit?"

**Kei (P.O.V)**

"What is this?" Sai asked me as I handed him the gift which was wrapped in beautiful gold paper.

"It's a gift, you dunce." I replayed smirking at him. His eyes opened wide and he looked speechless.

"I have never ever received a gift from anyone before."

"Really?" I was staring at him in disbelief.

"Yeah. Ever since my brother died I was alone. But you changed that. You are my reason for living."

"Well you aren't mine!" I said jokingly and he got the joke! Finally! His laugh filled the air around us.

I was bored because I couldn't find Akira, so I decided to find the next best thing. My dear Sai. I finally found him, sitting by a tree drawing on a calligraphy set which I gave him last week. Every time I have seen him drawing he was drawing the same thing, me. I decided to ask him about it.

"Why do you always draw me?"

"Hello to you too" he said without looking up from his painting "And for your information I want to draw the most beautiful thing in the world. You."

"Cheesy" I replayed. My sarcasms helped him learn how to interact with other humans. Deep down I was moved by what he said. But I was not about to tell him that. I sat down next to him and watched him paint for the whole day which seemed to fly past.


	11. Chapter 11

Wrong Decision?

**Some swearing but not too bad.**

**Sasuke (P.O.V)**

_My revenge will finally be fulfilled_. I thought to myself as I walked towards my goal. _Konoha's days are numbered!_ Suddenly Naruto's smiling face appeared in my mind. I shook my head and thought _you are going to die alongside with everyone in your precious village idiot _and carried on walking. I was just outside the Konoha border line when I heard some rustling in the bushes. I smirked and thought to myself _they are going to regret sneaking up on me_. I turned around to face the rouge ninja who was now standing in front of my face.

"Do you have a death wish?" I asked him casually. He didn't reply, he just smirked and narrowed his eyes. All of a sudden I heard a *swish* and about 20 more rouge ninjas appeared behind me. I laughed out loud. It was so easy to laugh at these pathetic losers who were about to die.

"You really do have a death wish don't you?" I asked him again but again he didn't reply. This really pissed me off, but I didn't show it. Before I could say something again they stared to attack me. Before I knew it, all of the rouge ninjas were dead, but instead of feeling relief and satisfaction, I felt something else. I looked down and saw my whole body covered in blood, but the blood was not from my enemies, it was my own. Realising that, I dropped to the floor in agony. While lying on the cold, hard floor, I closed my eyes and drifted away…

**Akira (P.O.V)**

_Why is Kei-chan always making me do stuff for her and calling it training? _I thought to myself as I set out from the village of Konoha to the land of Fire to pick up some herbs needed to make medicines. She was going to teach me all she knew about potions, but she was the type of person who preferred to kill than to heal. I was preoccupied with looking for the Konjac herb that I almost didn't notice someone lying on the road. _What an idiot _I thought to myself _why would anyone sleep on the middle of the road?_

"Hey! Mister!" I called out to the guy on the street. "Mister! Wake up! You can't sleep here! It's dangerous!" as I got closer, I realised that the man on the road looked really familiar, it was…it was Uchiha Sasuke!

"Holy frick!" I said when I realised that he was not sleeping but dying as he lay in the pool of own blood. I run towards him as fast as my legs would carry me. "SASUKE!" I cried as I reached his side. I knew that I could not save him with my level of skills. "Oh God! Oh God! Oh God! What should I do?" At that moment I was panicking franticly. "Don't worry everything is going to be alright." I kept telling him and myself, even though I wasn't convinced of that fact myself. I tried to save him but nothing seemed to be working. I knew the only person who can save him is my dear Kei. _Ah hell _I thought to myself. Picking him up I felt tears welling up in my eyes. I charged home desperately trying to find Kei.

"Kei-chan! Kei-chan!" I shouted as I run through the village.

"Why are you screaming so loudly? For fuck sake I'm right here!" she appeared behind me from a puff of smoke. Then she looked down at my hands and said "What the hell did you do? I thought you liked him!"

"Kei-chan this is NOT what it looks like! Please help me! I know you can save him!"

"Pff I would love to help YOU, but I am not saving that half corpse in your hands!"

"Kei-chan please!" tears were running down my face now.

"Do I have to?"

"I'm begging you! Kei-chan please help him!" I was desperate.

"Ok come with me. We can't do this in a middle of a street." Kei said and ran off towards her house. I quietly fallowed her without a word Sasuke still in my arms. He was heavy but I was not going to let go of him. Ever.

"Ok, so how are we going to do this exactly?" I asked my sister as I put him down on her couch.

"Well you can start by undressing him."

"Kei-chan!" I screamed at her with a disgusted look on my bright red face.

"Well we need to clean his wounds first. Don't we? You have such a dirty mind Akira!"

"Oh…" was all I could say. Ashamed of myself I looked down at the floor.

"This isn't a summer vacation you know! Do you want to save him or not! Move your ass, because I sure as hell am not undressing him!"

"Ok." I blushed again and fallowed my sister's order.

"Here." she said while giving me some warm water and cloth. I looked at her with weird eyes. "Why are you looking at me like that? I ain't cleaning him!" even though it was a tough situation I couldn't help but smile. As I was wrapping the cloth around him, he woke up and grabbed my wrist. I looked at him with shocked eyes, while Kei leaned on the side of the couch and said.

"If you want to live a while longer, you'll let her do what she needs to do." At that moment he let go of my wrist and relaxed so I could finish my job.

"I finished sister!" I exclaimed wiping sweat of my forehead. "What do we do now?"

"Move." She pushed me aside and stepped next to him. "This is going to hurt. A lot."

"What?" I said panicking.

"Jeez, I'm only joking!" she saw the relief on my face "or not! If he wants to live he has to take the pain!" Kei turned to Sasuke "Do you want to live?"

"Just do it." He murmured clearly in pain.

"My pleasure dear boy!" what she said sounded kind, but her evil expression made that kindness disappear. Kei began to heal him and Sasuke screamed out in pain. It made my heart ache.

"Shut the fuck up! I told you it would hurt! Now you're hurting my ears!" Sasuke immediately tried to stop the screaming and I wondered why he was so obedient to her. Sasuke pursed his lips together, but once in a while he let out a cry of pain. This went on for what seemed like hours and I could do nothing but stand and watch. At last it was all over, Kei told me that he needs to rest and won't be able to move for at least a day. Then she told me to go to her bedroom and get one of Sai's t-shirts.

"Why do you have his clothes?" I asked before I could stop myself.

"Just go!" she said sternly. I nodded and run up the stairs to her bedroom. There I opened a wardrobe which was full of her and what I could only guess were Sai's clothes. Before I could think too much about it I grabbed a black t-shirt with the Konoha symbol on it. _This will do_ I thought to myself. I raced down stairs and my knee-jerk reaction was to throw the t-shirt at Kei. It hit her face and fell to the floor.

"Umm. Genius!" she said "You're meant to put it on him, not throw it at me!"

"Okay." I said and picked up the t-shirt.

"Oh, by the way, you're staying here for the whole day because if you leave, there is a slight risk I might kill him in his sleep." She said to me while I was dressing him carefully.

"Kei-chan!"

"What? I said I might! Stay here and look after him. He needs his bandages changed every 2 hours. You can do that right?"

"Umm yeah! I think…"

"You think? Oh well…I need to lie down, this takes up a LOT of chakra." She turned to leave.

"Kei-chan" I began and she stopped "Thank you." she smiled over her shoulder.

"Trust me; I will never ever do that again. So keep him on a tight leash ok?" and with that she left the room. I was left all alone with a sleeping Sasuke who was snoring slightly in his sleep. It was a relief to see him doing better. I found it hard to stay awake, but I felt like I was protecting him. After the two hours were up I needed to change his bandages. At that same moment Sai and Naruto entered the house. What a great timing…

"Hey Akira-chan! There you are! I was looking everywhere for…" Naruto began, but stopped quickly once he realised who I was bandaging. "Sas…Sasuke…?" He asked shell-shocked. Sai looked confused and a bit awkward. I wondered if he knew what awkward was.

"Sai, Kei is in her bedroom resting." I told him while I carried on bandaging Sasuke slowly and carefully. Sai nodded and walked up the stairs while Naruto stood in place, still looking wide eyed.

"Akira-chan…what's going on…?" he asked me after a short while. I told him the whole story. How I found him and Kei saved him. When Naruto recovered from the shock, he walked up to me and Sasuke who was semi-conscious.

"Does it hurt much?" I asked Sasuke as I finished bandaging him and pulled the t-shirt on him.

"Only a bit" he replied weakly. I carefully helped him back down on the sofa.

"Sasuke…" Naruto said chocking up.

"What do you want usuratonkachi?" I could see Sasuke smile weakly through his pain. I looked at Naruto and he was smiling too. This reminded me of the time before Sasuke left the village. He and Naruto were best friends, almost like brothers. That kind of bond doesn't go away. No matter how much Sasuke tries to break it, Naruto will never let him. This thought brought tears to my eyes. "Naruto…I want to fight with you…" Sasuke said this so quietly it was barely above the whisper.

"First you have to get better." Naruto said, some sadness showing in his voice. "Right now, it wouldn't be a fair fight."

"I can…beat you…even in this state…" Naruto scoffed and Sasuke smirked weakly. I liked watching them two just talking to each other like this; it was as if nothing changed. But deep in my heart I knew that when they fight, one of them, if not both will die. At that moment, I'm ashamed to admit, a terrible thought crossed my mind, _which one I would prefer to survive the fight?_ I could not decide, and to be honest, I didn't want to. Now I regret thinking like that, but I loved Sasuke and Naruto was a dear friend who helped me through so much.

"Naruto" I said softly "Sasuke needs to rest, you can catch up on what you both missed tomorrow. Kei said he won't be able to move for at least a day anyway."

"Okay" Naruto replied "I will come back tomorrow. Take good care of him Akira, please."

"I will, I promise" I smiled at Naruto and then at the now sleeping Sasuke.

"Good night Akira, Sasuke."

"Good night Naruto." Naruto left Kei's house and I was left alone with Sasuke again. I watched him breathe steadily and wondered if he would survive in a fight against Naruto. After a few moments I fell asleep, into a disturbing dream. I was alone in a field at night dressed in a beautiful silver dress. My hair was blowing in the gentle wind. I looked to my right and I saw Naruto coming, smiling with his hands behind his head. I looked to the left and I was Sasuke approaching, smirking with his hands in his pockets. I smiled at each of them in turn and waited for them to come to me. When they were about 5 meters away from me, their expression changed. Naruto and Sasuke looked gravely serious. Naruto changed to Sage mode at an instant and Sasuke's Sharingan appeared, changed onto something that looked like a star. Both of them charged up to each other with Chidori and Rasengan. However something was different…Naruto was using Chidori and Sasuke used Rasengan. At the moment of their clash, I woke up, crying and sweating…


	12. Chapter 12

The Next Morning

**Akira (P.O.V)**

I looked at the clock and realised that it was already 7am. I went to the kitchen to make myself some breakfast. The only thing I could find was some instant ramen noodles. As soon I finished making it, Naruto came busting in through the window.

"Hey! You made ramen!" he shouted at me.

"Shut up idiot! The rest is still asleep!" I scolded him.

"Sorry…Can you share with me?" I sighed heavily and split the ramen into two bowls.

"Here." I gave him a bowl.

"Let's eat!" he said excitedly. As soon as he tried to a bit, his face expression changed.

"What's wrong?" I asked him. He spat the whole ramen that was in his mouth.

"What the hell did you do to this? How can you mess it up! You only need to add water to this!" he was wiping his tongue with his hand.

"Nothing! I just added the water!" I went to pick up the empty packed of ramen and checked the use by date. It was five years out of date. "I think we found the cause of the problem." I said giving him the packet.

"Well that's our breakfast gone out the window!" he replied pouring the ramen out the window. I laughed a bit too loud.

"I wonder if Kei ever cleans out her cupboards." I managed to say when I finally calmed down.

"Looks like, she doesn't. Shall we clean them for her?"

"Naruto if you want to live, you'll leave my cupboards alone." a voice behind me said, I turned around to see Kei's sleepy face. She was rubbing the sand out of her eyes.

"Morning sis." I said while smiling at her. She just gave me the death glare.

"The person who woke me up will die a slow and painful death." She said while cracking her knuckles.

"It was her!" Naruto sold me out. _Thanks_ I mouthed to him and looked at Kei. She in turn looked me over and shook her head.

"Well I won't kill you now because I cannot be assed." She took out some cereals and milk and started eating. Me and Naruto where still staring at her. "What?" she asked.

"Nothing!" We both said in unison. I wondered why I didn't find the cereals...

"Akira? Where's duck-butt? Aren't you supposed to change his bandages like every two hours?"

"Oh yeah! I forgot!" Naruto and Kei both face palmed themselves.

"Well don't you think it's wise to move your lazy ass and go and do it rather than just stand there?" I frowned at her but obeyed. Naruto fallowed me quietly out of the kitchen.

"Why are you fallowing me?"

"Because, I want to see, how he is doing. Plus I think that I can help you." Naruto smiled at me and I smiled back while saying,

"Thank you." As we entered the room, Sasuke was still sleeping. Naruto picked him up slightly while I changed his bandages again, as quickly and as painlessly as I possibly could. Naruto placed him back on the couch and we walked back into the kitchen.

"So, how long are you planning to keep him here?" Kei asked. "You do know that if he stays here, you run the risk of me killing him, right?"

"Yeah, so you said." I replied slightly annoyed at her comment. "He is no longer in a fatal condition right? So I can just take him to my house, if he bothers you that much."

"Please take him as soon as that is possible. Now would be best actually."

"Okay, Naruto can you help me with that?"

"Sure thing Akira-chan!" he replied happily.

"Thank you for everything Kei." I smiled at her.

"Yeah, yeah. But just so you know, I won't do it again."

Naruto followed me to my house with Sasuke in his hands. People on the streets were giving us funny looks and some seemed very surprised.

"Do you think that these people will ever accept him again?" I asked Naruto, the hint of sadness showing clearly in my voice.

"Yeah, I think so. People of Konoha are very forgiving. Plus he didn't do any damage to this village." He replied and I could hear the smile in his voice.

"But will he actually stay in Konoha or will he leave again?" I asked myself but Naruto answered anyway.

"He will stay. If he doesn't I'll make him stay. Believe it!" I laughed a bit too loud and Sasuke stirred in Naruto's arms.

"I should keep it down, before I wake him up."

"Don't worry; he is too weak to run away now anyway." Naruto always knew what I meant without me saying it. We entered my house and I led Naruto to the spare bedroom.

"Just put him on the bed." I said to him. Naruto gently placed him on the bed and I covered him with a blanket.

"I'm going to go now Akira-chan. There are some people I should tell that he is back so they don't start attacking him when they see him on the street. I should especially tell Tsunade." I nodded at his half joke knowing that he was right. "Bye for now!" He took one last look at Sasuke and left my house. I sat on the bed and took Sasuke's hand in mine. I looked at him lovingly wishing he would wake up.

I didn't even realise I fell asleep again until I felt someone tugging my hand. I remembered I still had Sasuke's hand in mine, so I gripped it tighter. The person tried to pull harder, but didn't have the energy. Then Sasuke's voice brought me back to reality.

"Can you let go of my hand?" he asked with no emotion in his voice. To my horror I realised that I curled up by his legs on top of his blanket, just like a cat would. I jumped to my feet. He was lying where Naruto left him looking as pale as he did before.

"I…umm…" my face turned red. "I…I'm…sorry." I managed to get out looking down at the floor. He didn't look at me but just said,

"Hn"

"How…are you…feeling?" I asked him my voice shaking. This time he looked at me but with no emotion.

"It's you" he said his eyes opening wide. "The girl from Orochimaru's hideout and the one I almost" he paused for a second, and carried on "killed." I was surprised that he didn't recognise me before. Then at that moment I remembered how he tried to kill me, and the look of madness in his red eyes. Unconsciously, I put my hand to my side where a permanent scar was. Sasuke saw it and looked away.

"I…forgive you." I told him and looked at him. He turned his face to me again and looked me in the eyes. "I know you didn't…mean to do it." I smiled at him shyly.

"Why…did you forgive me so quickly? I didn't even say I'm sorry." How could I tell him that I love him? But I did, with every bone in my body; with each beat of my heart, I loved him.

"Because I know you're sorry." I told him instead. "I care about you, and I don't want to lose you." It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the whole truth either. We looked at each other for a while, without saying anything. I was the first to speak up.

"I'll be right back" I said and left the room to go to the bathroom. I gathered some new bandages and gauzes. When I entered the room, Sasuke was looking out the window by his bed. Walking over to him I said

"Let me change your bandages." He tried to sit up on his own but couldn't. I put my hand round his back and helped him sit up. I undid the old bandages which were still red in some places form his blood, and replaced them with the new gauzes and bandages. When I was done, I helped him lie down and smiled at him. "Your wounds are healing nicely. You should regain your strength in no time." He looked at me with unreadable expression. "Are you hungry? Would you like something to eat?" I asked him. After a few second he replied with a simple no. I gathered the used up bandages and turned to the door. "You should get some rest." I told him. "Sleep is the best medicine." Before I walked out the door, I turned to look at him again. He gave me the beginning of a smile and then closed his eyes. I looked at him for a moment and within few minutes, he was asleep again.

**Kei (P.O.V)**

"Good morning gorgeous!" Sai said to me as he walked down the stairs.

"Good morning handsome!" I told him and looked at the clock, it was 12pm. "Wow, you are just like Akira when it comes to sleeping!" He took a look at the now empty sofa and said,

"Where is Sasuke gone?"

"Naruto took him to Akira's house. I didn't think he would be safe here any longer. Just seeing his face got on my nerves." Sai laughed and so did I. His laugh was so beautiful. "You should laugh more often" I said to him.

"Why?" he asked me, a puzzled look on his face.

"Because it makes me smile when you laugh, that's all. Now what do you want for breakfast?"

"Well considering all you have in your cupboards is out of date ramen, I think we should go out for breakfast."

"Has everyone been in my cupboards lately?" I asked myself. "I already ate though."

"Come with me anyway. I'm hungry so you can watch while I eat then." He winked at me and took my hand. I laughed at his comment and was pleased that he finally learned to interact with others. He led me out of the house and put his hand round my waist as we walked together. Akira was taking care of the person she loved for so long, and I finally found someone that I loved. Life was perfect, until…

**To be continued…**

**Sorry to leave on a cliff-hanger, but I will upload the rest tomorrow! **


	13. Chapter 13

True Meaning of Bonds

**Here is the next chapter! Enjoy! (Slight swearing)**

**Kei ****(P.O.V)**

It was 3 am on a cold night and about a week after Akira brought Sasuke to me. I remember looking at the clock in my house before I left. This was one of my bad habits. The worst one I think. I liked to take walks outside, in the middle of the night all by myself. It's like I was asking for trouble, but I didn't care. I have been doing this for as long as I can remember. Sai spent the night at his house tonight that left me free to roam the streets without raising his suspicion. The last thing I needed was his concern.

I was just taking a walk by the training grounds, when I saw two figures appear in front of me. At first I didn't recognise them, but then realised they are Deidara and Sasori form the Akatsuki.  
"Hello un" Deidara spoke first.  
"Oh for fuck sake! Don't you start with the uns again!"  
"Do you have a problem with the way I talk un?"  
"Yes. Yes I do." Deidara rolled his eyes at my comment.  
"Never mind that un" he carried on "We're here to take you to Akatsuki un."

"Hmm. That's an tempting offer but I'm going to have to decline."  
"Errr. Wrong answer." Sasori spoke up for the first time and I laughed at his comment.  
"Now, now Sasori-dana un. Let's not get too carried away! Leader wants her in one piece and alive. So don't forget your mission un."  
"Look. I lost interest in this conversation about five minutes ago. So I'm just gonna go now, oki?" I asked and without looking at them I stared to turn around. At this point Deidara grabbed my hand.  
"Excuse me, but you aren't going anywhere un."  
"Let me make this crystal clear, I will never go with either of you! Got it blondie?"  
"Look sunshine. This can happen one of two ways. Number one. You go with us. Number two. We kill Akira and then drag you there un." My smile faded at the mention of her name.  
"Don't you dare bring her into this!" I shouted in his face.  
"So come with us. Then I can give you my word that no harm will come to her on our part un." I didn't need to think about this anymore. What choice did I have? If I didn't go with them, they would kill Akira.  
"Let me just run home to grab some of my things."  
"There's a good girl un!" Deidara smirked at me.  
"Call me that again and you will need a funeral." I seriously HATED when people called me a "good girl" I was NOT a dog.  
"Dude! She just rinced you!" Sasori added. I was surprised to hear him say that. He always seemed so serious and content. But I guess he enjoyed seeing his partner being told off by a girl.  
"Hurry up then! We haven't got all day un!"  
"Umm don't you mean night? Deidara?" Sasori added.  
"Shut up! Don't correct me in front of our mission objective un!"  
"Oh! So now I'm an object! You two are bastards." I turned and started to walk towards my house. Sasori and Deidara were fallowing me. What they didn't know was that I was really walking towards Akira's house. I needed to tell her what was going on and I had to say good bye. I couldn't leave without saying anything to her. We reached her house and I walked into it like it was my own. Akira was standing in the kitchen with a cup of tea and huge eyes as she saw me walk in.  
"Haven't you ever heard of knocking?" She asked me smiling as she slowly put down the cup.  
"Nope. But seriously. We need to talk." I said while closing the door. Her face dropped and smile faded. She knew I was never serious. We both sat down on her couch and I told her everything. By the time I finished she had tears in her eyes.  
"No." she concluded "You are not going anywhere!"  
"That is not your choice to make!"  
"But! But!"  
"No buts!" I interrupted her "That is my decision and I'm leaving." I could see that my words hurt her but it was all for her own good. "Promise me, that you'll never tell Sai the truth. Actually don't tell anyone. Can you do that for me?"  
"Yes." She choked out through her sobs. "I won't say anything."  
"Good. I know I can count on you." As I left for the door I added "I won't say good bye, because we will see each other again. I swear." and with that I left her house hearing her sobbing to herself.

**A****kira ****(P.O.V) **

I could not believe what had just happened. My sister and my best friend left to protect me. If I could just protect myself, she wouldn't need to do that. I had to do something, to save her, get her back somehow. I didn't realise how hard I was crying until I heard Sasuke come down the stairs.  
"Akira? What happened? Why are you crying?"  
"Umm" I said remembering my promise to Kei. "I was just so clumsy and I spilled boiling tea on my hands. But I'm fine now!" I said and gave him a fake smile, hoping he would be sleepy enough not to notice.  
"Idiot. Be more careful before you really hurt yourself."  
"Yes! Don't worry! Sorry about waking you up Sasuke-kun."  
"Mmm its fine" his word blurred together and so I knew he was half asleep. He won't even remember this by morning time. He would just think it was a dream. I sat back down on the couch, buried my face in my hands and started sobbing again softly.

**Kei ****(P.O.V)**

"So...Where are your things un?"  
"Hmm? Oh I don't know. Let's go."  
"She's strange" Sasori said "I don't know what leader wants with her."  
"Trust me, me neither un." replied Deidara.  
"You do know I can hear both of you right?" I was walking in between of them, it really was impossible for me not to hear them.

"Where the fuck are you taking me anyway?"  
"Well, well, she will get along very nicely with Hidan don't you think Deidara?"  
"For sure un. Where do you think we are taking you? To the hideout of course un."  
"Where is that?" I asked again.  
"That's top secret un."  
"Ok. Who the fuck is Hidan?"  
"My, she asks a lot of questions!" Sasori chuckled and Deidara rolled his eyes. "She'll brighten up the damn place for sure!"  
"Thanks...I guess..." I said "Am I going to be the only girl in there?"  
"Again! With the questions un! No Konan is there. But she's almost never there un..."  
"Great!" I said sarcastically. "So, I'm the only girl in there. Wow, aren't I lucky?"  
"Don't be like that Kei-chan! Some of us are actually nice people once you get to know us!"  
"Yeah sure! And I'm your mother! That's why you are an evil organisation! Because you are nice people! Like hell I'm gonna believe that!"  
"This is gonna be a long walk to the hideout un!"  
"We got to do what we got to do Deidara. This was not our choice, you know it."  
"I kinda agree with blondie over there, I want to get there as soon as possible. I'm SO tired!" I made a fake yawn.  
"Who are you calling blondie un! You are blond yourself!"  
"Really? Never realised that!" I said sarcastically again. Deidara started to look really pissed and Sasori laughed while telling Deidara to chill out. It was a really long walk until we have reached the hideout. In fact the sun started to rise. The hideout was nothing like I expected it to be. I was thinking it would be an underground basement or something. It turned out to be a cave.  
"So this is the hideout?" I said shocked. "I thought the whole point of a hideout is that it is meant to be hidden!"  
"It is hidden, by the forest surrounding it." Sasori said calmly.  
"Wow. Genius. Okay are you going to take me inside, or just let me stand here and freeze to death?"  
"I already hate her un." Deidara muttered to Sasori.  
"The feeling is mutual blondie." Sasori had to hold Deidara back as I entered the cave by myself. It looked like a hell hole. Bunch of corridors and rooms. I'm sure there were some sort of torture chambers here. The whole place gave me the creeps, but from now on, it was my home. Fan, bloody, tastic.

**Akira ****(P.O.V)**

I felt like I was being shaken gently. I opened my eyes and I saw Sasuke standing above me so I sat up quickly in shock.  
"Have you been sleeping on the couch the whole night?" He asked me and at that point I remembered what had happened in the early hours of the day and realised that I must have fallen asleep on the couch.  
"Yes, no, maybe, I don't know..." I was pretending to sound confused so that we can drop the subject. I sure as hell wasn't going to tell him what had happened here this morning. But unfortunately he did not want to drop the subject.  
"So which one is it?"  
"Umm...Well..." I really didn't know how to answer his simple question.  
"Just tell me. You know you are going to tell me eventually, you might as well save us both some time and tell me now."  
"Yes. I did sleep here all night."  
"Why?"  
"Because I felt like it!" he didn't believe me for a second.  
"Great. Now tell me the real reason why you slept here."  
"Why do you care?"  
"Because I can see that there is something bothering you, so I want to know what it is."  
"Kei left for the Akatsuki." I broke into tears. He seemed shocked at what I have said and sat down next to me.  
"Why did she leave?"  
"She...she didn't say..." of course I could remember why, she left because I wasn't competent enough to take care of myself. I hated lying to him, but I made a promise and I was going to keep it. It's the least I could do.  
"You should forget about her. She obviously didn't care about you. Or anyone else. Stop crying and move on." He crossed his arms on his chest.  
"Shut up!" I shouted through my tears, it was obvious that he was surprised by my outburst. "You don't know anything about her! I'm sure she had a good reason if she left! She wouldn't leave me! She wouldn't leave Sai just for no reason!"  
"Hey, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you even more. I'm just saying if she cared she wouldn't have lef…"  
"That's bull shit!" I interrupted him "When you left, don't you tell me that you didn't care about Naruto anymore because I will not believe that crap! You left for your own reason! To achieve your dream! Maybe she is doing the same!"  
"I'm sorry" he said sincerely and hugged me. This shocked me so much I couldn't help but say,  
"Wow you actually hugged someone...Thank you" He didn't say anything but he didn't push me away either. I felt safe with him and slowly fell asleep again.


	14. Chapter 14

Reporting For Duty

**Kei ****(P.O.V)**

"Leader-sama un! Mission completed successfully un!"  
"Dismissed..." said the person sat behind the desk. At first I didn't realise it, but then it hit me.  
"Madara!" I exclaimed.  
"Welcome Kei. I hope you will make yourself at home here." He pointed to a neatly folded Akatsuki cloak and a hat on top of it. Next to that pile was a red ring. Madara gestured for me to take it.  
"Whatever."  
"Don't be so disrespectful. Remember who I am."  
"I know who you are but you don't deserve my respect."  
"Very well then...So be it...As long as you are working for me you must listen to me, I don't care about anything else." We stared at each other for a while in silence. However that silence was broken, by a loud scream. I looked to the door and realised that Deidara left the room. I looked at Madara questioningly.  
"Looks like your partner is here..." A boy around the same age as me entered the room. He had black messy hair, black eyes, the Akatsuki cloak and a huge grin on his face.  
"My name is Zero! Pleased to meet you!" He reminded me a bit of Sasuke, but a lot less emo-like.  
"Hi, nice to meet you." I wasn't entirely sure how to respond to him. He seemed too happy and hyper for someone who is in the Akatsuki.  
"Zero, this is your new partner, Kei." Madara spoke again in his monotone voice.  
"I'm so happy to be working with you Kei-chan!"  
"Okay...Listen gramps, do I get my own room or do I have to share it with someone?"  
"Zero is your mission partner as well as your roommate."  
"Yey! Kei-chan is going to be my roommate!" Zero started to jump up and down. I still couldn't believe what he was doing in the Akatsuki.  
"Great. Joy." I said sarcastically.  
"Both of you are dismissed. Zero, show Kei your room" Madara said while looking at some papers.  
"Come Kei-chan!" Zero said while taking my hand "Let's go see our room!"  
"Zero?" I asked "Just call me Kei, alright?"  
"Sure thing!"  
"And let go of my hand."  
"No problem!" and I followed him into my new room. Once we entered the room I said to him.  
"Wow, I never thought I would meet someone more hyper then I am."  
"Trust me, there are a lot of things you don't know about me Kei..."

**Akira ****(P.O.V)**

I woke up and Sasuke wasn't there anymore. I decided to leave my house to get some fresh air. But before that I took a quick shower and changed out of my pyjamas. As I was walking I saw the person I least wanted to see. When I realised he was there, I walked in the other direction, but it was too late. He had already seen me.  
"Akira!" he called after me but I didn't stop. "Akira!" he called again as he caught up to me. "Have you seen Kei anywhere this morning? I went by her house but she wasn't there." I looked at his face and struggled to keep my tears in. I decided to tell him as much as I could without breaking my promise.  
"She left, Sai. She joined the Akatsuki."  
"What?" the expression on his face was shock and hurt. "Why?"  
"I don't know why. Excuse me." I said and run away from him, not being able to face him and not being able to tell him the whole truth. "I'm sorry" I said even though I knew there is no way he could have heard me. I wasn't looking where I was running and I run straight into Naruto.

"Ouch!" he said as he fell on his butt.  
"Sorry Naruto, I wasn't looking where I was going."  
"What's wrong, you look a bit...distracted."  
"You know what? Go ask Sasuke or Sai, I can't take it to explain it for a third time." And with that I set off again, running. I run to a forest that not a lot of people knew about. Well, apart from me and Kei, I don't think anyone knew about it. It was our special place where we used to hang out when we were younger and I felt like that is the place I need to go to right now. When I reached the forest I sat on the grass and was filled by some many happy memoires which this place was holding.

I remembered one specific memory back when I was five years old and Kei was seven. It was summer time and the sun was shining above us. Kei came to visit me often in the summer because we didn't have ninja academy then. I was playing the shallow end of a river while Kei was standing on the bridge above me looking down at me.  
"You wanna be careful down there." she told me with a smile.  
"Yes I will!" I replayed happily and at that moment my foot slipped and I fell further into the river with oomph. Kei started laughing hysterically and rolled around the floor laughing.  
"What did I just say?" she managed to say through her laughter. I got out of the river slowly soaking from head to toe.  
"I slipped..." I said while Kei was still laughing.  
"Yeah of course you did! Your mum is going to kill me for bringing you back this wet!"  
"Then we won't tell her! Right?"  
"You're so stupid! She will see that you're all wet!"  
"I'll dry off! Let's climb some trees!"  
"Are you sure you want to do that? Do you know what happened last time? You climbed half way and were too scared to go up or down. I had to run up the tree to get you down."  
"Fine, then I'll watch you climb!"  
"Fine" she rolled her eyes "Just don't wonder off too far from the tree because I don't feel like looking for you through the entire forest."  
"Okay!" I smiled at her and gave her the thumbs up to show that I understand. Kei shook her head and walked to the tallest tree she could find. I fallowed her quickly strangling to keep up with her. She climbed the tree like a cat. Fast and smooth. I was admiring her from the ground. I wanted to be just like her one day. As I was looking at her, her foot slipped and she started to fall. My eyes opened wide with shock. As she was falling she did a summersault in the air and landed on her both her feet and hands. She really was like a cat.  
"Are you okay?" I asked her still unsure what just happened.  
"Yeah! Of course I am!" she said and laughed. At that I laughed too. Kei stood up and shook herself off. "Shall we climb something else now?" She said with a grin.

As I remembered all of this I smiled through my tears and realised that I already miss her so much. I was sat on the forest floor for so long it turned dark. I got up and walked off towards my house. All the way I was thinking about Kei. Everywhere I looked I was reminded of her. I saw the shop where she brought me a teddy bear. A bench on which she told me that she'll always believe in me when I failed a test. A swing, on which she used to push me. The whole of Konoha was like a big momentum of her. She was an important part of this village and she would always have her home here. When she left, she took a piece of my heart with her.

When I got home, Sasuke was already there. He saw my blood shot eyes and asked.

"Where have you been all this time?"

"Just in the forest."

"Why?"

"I needed to do some thinking. Please stop with the questions I am not in the mood." Sasuke sighed.

"Naruto came to me and asked me what's going on, so I told him what you told me."

"Thank you. I didn't want to have to explain it again."

"It's alright. Where are you going?" he asked as I was going up the stairs.

"What did I tell you about asking me questions right now?" Sasuke stayed completely silent as I climbed the stairs and went into my room shutting the door behind me. I sat on my bed and stared at the opposite wall. With all my tears gone, I couldn't cry again.


	15. Chapter 15

Broken Hearts

**Akira (P.O.V)**

It has been a few weeks since Kei left. It was still hard to deal with but it got slightly easier with time. Sometimes she came to visit me at night. That was the only time when she wasn't busy. When she came, she still never came alone. She came with her partner Zero. The leader of the Akatsuki set some sort of rule that, the Akatsuki members cannot leave the hideout without another member. Zero seemed like a nice guy and I didn't understand what he was doing in the Akatsuki. He left Kei alone as soon as she met up with me. He was breaking the leader's rules, but it seemed like he understood that we don't have a lot of time and we want to spend it together. She told me about the Akatsuki and how weird some of the guys were. She told me about Deidara and Sasori who we bumped into during our training. She told me that Zero was the only friend she had there and that he was the only person who made it bearable to be there. I in turn told her about how Sasuke seemed to change a bit and how happy he made me. I told her how Sai misses her, even though he won't admit it.

"He doesn't talk to anyone Kei." I told her sincerely. "Ever since you left, he shut himself away. He goes onto missions and comes back without a word. He misses you so bad, but his heart is broken. He thinks you don't love him anymore. He is dying on the inside. I'm sorry, but you need to tell him the truth, if you don't I will have to, because he is hurt and everyone can see it. To see him like this, partly because of me…Well I simply can't take it. Please tell him."

"It's not your fault Akira. I should have told him why I left. It's my fault that he is hurt. But I just don't know what to say to him. What if he doesn't want to see me? What if he doesn't love me anymore?"

"He would want to see you I'm sure about that! He still loves you! He just misses you!"

"How do you know that?"

"I just do. I can tell by looking at him." I smiled at Kei. "Look, how about I bring him here next time you come to visit me?"

"Fine."

"Really?"

"That's what I just said. Don't make me change my mind!"

"Thank you Kei." I smiled at her.

Four weeks later Kei came to visit me again. I was sat on the usual bench waiting for her.

"Hello Kei!" I said to her smiling.

"Yo." She replied looking around.

"Long time no see!"

"Yeah. Yeah. Where's Sai?"

"He…umm…" I looked down at the floor. "He didn't want to come with me. I'm sorry."

"It's ok." Kei said while walking away from me.

"Where are you going?"

"Well if he won't come to see me I am going to go and see him."

"Do you want me to come with ya?" I said slightly worried and happy at the same time.

"Nope."

"Ok. I'll just…umm…go home then…If you need me I'll be there."

"Is Sasuke still there?"

"Yes."

"Then I won't come." She winked and walked off. "See ya."

"Bye." I called after her and walked home.

**Kei (P.O.V)**

_I can't believe he didn't come. But I can't be surprised, I left without a word._ I thought to myself as I walked to Sai's house. I sneaked into his bedroom by the loose window. All of sudden I was pinned to the wall with a kunai by my throat.

"Kei!" he said in a shocked voice. His eyes opened wide and he dropped his kunai on the floor.

"Sai…" I did not know what to say to him.

"What, are you doing here?" he asked and took a big step away from me. The expression of shock changed to anger and sadness.

"You…Didn't want to come and see me so I decided to come to you…"

"I'm surprised that you came to see me, after all you did leave without saying a word." His harsh and true words kinda hurt me.

"I'm sorry." Was all that wanted to come out of mouth. Sai turned around and went to sit on his bed. He sighed and looked at me. I meet his gaze but could not keep it for too long. I felt guilty and truly sorry.

"Say something then." He told me after 5 minutes of silence.

"What can I say to make you understand? To make you love me again? What can I do in order to make your pain go away?"

"Just tell me why you left. Why you didn't even say goodbye. Was your life with me so awful that you had to leave?"

"No! You were not the reason I left! I swear!"

"Why did you leave then? Why did you break my heart?" his eyes were getting watery as he was speaking. What have I done?

"Sai…" I walked to him, sat down next to him on the bed. I hugged him but he pulled away from me and stood up.

"Don't touch me!" he looked really angry. I have never seen him like this before.

"I'm sorry." I said, tears in my eyes. I stood up and walked towards the window. As I walked he grabbed my wrist.

"I'm not letting you leave again. Not without an explanation."

"Fine I will tell you the truth." I sighed there was no point hiding this anymore. "The Akatsuki asked me to join them. I didn't want to, but when I declined, they threatened to kill Akira. I had no choice but to join." I told him sincerely. Sai punched the wall he was standing next to. He was crying and the tears where running down his checks. I walked up to him. I placed my hands on his checks and whipped away his tears with my thumbs. I lifted his face and he looked at me. We held eye contact for a while and then he bent down and kissed with passion. I took no time in kissing him back. He put his hands around my waist and I put my hands around his neck. I pulled away from him slightly to look into his eyes. He was still crying.

"Please don't cry." I said to him.

"But how can I not cry? You're going to leave me again."

"You understand don't you? I'm doing this for Akira, but that doesn't mean I don't love you. Because I do, Sai."

"I love you with all my heart Kei. And I'm going to miss you so much!"

"Don't say things like that. It makes it harder for me to leave you. I'm going to miss you too." I dropped my hands from his neck and stepped away from him. He brushed my check with his hand and smiled at me.

"I'm glad you came. Seeing you even for a short while makes me so happy."

"To me, it looked like I made you pissed." I said trying to sound playful.

"Well…I was, but now I'm not…" he smiled with a huge grin. I couldn't help but laugh. Being with him was so familiar. I never wanted to leave his side. I wished so hard this was all just a nightmare.

"I got to go." I said to him.

"No don't leave!" he begged. "I…I miss you…Every second of everyday…My life is incomplete without you…My heart breaks each night I go to sleep without you, and each morning I wake up without you…I'm nothing if I'm not with you…"

"Awww Sai!" I breathed. "But you know I can't come back. They won't let me."

"But Kei, I can't live, if that means being without you! I can't live anymore!"

"You can! And you need to!" I realised what his words meant. "Promise me you won't do anything stupid! Every time I will come to Konoha I promise I will come and see you."

"You know I will do everything for you! But it hurts! Every second you're away from me, it's as if someone ripped out my heart and crushed it into tiny pieces! I can't take this pain!"

"Sai…I don't know what to say…I'm so sorry…I…I never meant to cause you so much pain…I'm sorry."

"Run away from the Akatsuki!" He had pure hope in his eyes. "Run away with ME! Don't worry about Akira! I know you don't like Sasuke, but I know that he will protect her! Even if it will cost him his life! She'll be safe!"

"I can't…I'm sorry…I just can't…I can't just run away…It's not that easy…They want let me…I know Sasuke will protect her with his life…But…I just can't…Knowing that something may happen to her when I run away…I just could not live with myself if anything happen to her because of me…I'm sorry…"

"I understand…If I had the chance I would protect my brother with everything I have…I'll never forgive myself for what happened to him…I miss him so much…And I miss you…I completely understand that you don't want to put your sister in danger…I…I love you SO much…It hurts with every beat of my hallow heart…"

"I'm sorry." Was all I could say. He kissed me one last time softly on the lips.

"Come and visit me again, promise me."

"I will."

"I love you Kei."

"I love you too." And with that, I left his house the same way I entered it.

I wiped my eyes and went to look for Zero. I found him looking into someone's house.

"Zero!" I called quietly.

"Ahh! Don't scare me like that!"

"What the hell do you think you are doing? Do you want to get yourself killed?"

"Don't worry about me. I can handle myself."

"Yeah whatever bro. Let's go."

"You done?"

"Yeah that's what I meant by let's go dunce!"

"How did it go?"

"That's for me to know and for you to find out." I tapped the side of my nose with my finger.

"Oh, so it went that good, huh?"

"What?"

"Common! You've been miserable for days! The meeting must have gone well if you're this happy."

"Let's just say that my unfinished business disappeared."

"Let's go back to the hideout then."

"Oh yeah…fun!" I said sarcastically and both I and Zero laughed as we walked.

**Akira (P.O.V)**

I walked to my house and knew Sasuke was there. I felt lonely and wanted to see him. When I walked into my house I saw him sitting on the couch reading. I stopped in my tracks and stared at him wide eyed.

"What?" he asked when I didn't move.

"You're…Reading…" I managed to get out.

"Look I know this might come as a surprise to you, but I don't kill people ALL the time." He smirked.

"Ha. Ha." I responded. "Not funny." I went over to the couch and sat down next to him.

"How's Kei?" he asked looking into his book.

"Fine." I responded. I didn't like to talk about her, it hurt me.

"She didn't want to see me?" he joked still looking into the book.

"Surprisingly…No." I answered. His lips curled into something of a smile.

"It was very quick today."

"Yeah…She went to see Sai." All of this was strange; he was asking me these questions, even smiling. He did ask me often how my meeting with Kei was, or how my day was, but for the first time I felt like he cared what my answers will be. All of a sudden, he closed the book and placed it on the coffee table. He turned to me and looked me in the eyes. His were beautiful onyx colour and I could not stop staring into them. His expression was unreadable like always. "What?" I finally asked after a few minutes of silence.

"I never…" he stopped and took a deep breath "thanked you for what you did. You saved my life." I was shocked, speechless. Was I hearing him right?

"No, I didn't save you. Kei did. You should thank her, not me. I couldn't save you…" I looked away ashamed of my own weakness.

"I nearly killed you, and yet you still got me the help I needed. You could have just left me there, but you didn't." I still wouldn't meet his eyes so he lifted my head with his hand. He was so handsome, I couldn't help but blush. Seeing this he smirked. It made him look even more handsome. He closed his eyes and started to lean in. At first I wasn't sure what was going on and felt so hot I thought I'm going to pass out. But then something just clicked and I closed my eyes and leaned in too. I kissed him slowly at first, and then with more passion. Something exploded within me like a firework. My dream came true. He placed his hands on my back pulling me closer to him. I run my hands through his hair. This moment felt magical and if it was a dream, I didn't want to wake up. We both pulled away for a brief moment. He looked me in the eyes again, and said the three words I NEVER expected to hear from him.

"I love you." Those words were just above a whisper.

"I love you too." I replied just as quietly. He smiled lightly and hugged me close to him. We stayed like that for a long time. In each other's embrace, without saying anything.


	16. Chapter 16

When I leave

**Sasuke (P.O.V)**

I woke up in the middle of the night, with Akira's head on my chest and her hand round my waist. My own hand rested on her back. I looked at her, as she slept peacefully. I lay there, for a couple of minutes completely unsure if I'm doing the right thing. Then with a big yawn, Akira stretched and turned away from me. She was now lying on her left side. Her pyjama top lifted slightly to reveal a long pink scar that would never fade away completely. I looked away from it. I did that. The person who I have let myself become, was capable of doing much worse things than just leaving scars, but now, that I have finally found that one ray of light, in my world filled with darkness, I was afraid I am going to hurt her. _Hurt her AGAIN_ I corrected myself. At that moment I wanted to scream. _Why have I been doomed since THAT night?_ If only my brother didn't kill our clan. If only, he wasn't FORCED to, I would never end up like I did. I had blood on my hands of so many people, I couldn't even count. I was a monster, who at one point, even considered, no, that's incorrect, LONGED to kill his best friend. I looked at Akira, still sleeping soundlessly and peacefully. She was so innocent; doing everything she could to save a person who tried to kill her. Crying, in her sleep, because she missed her sister so much. She was pure goodness, someone that wanted to help people, not hurt them, but me; I was a true monster, who didn't deserve to live. I might have been a monster, but I still had some feelings left. I knew I loved her, but the last time I loved someone, I had to watch them die, I was too weak to protect my parents, and in the end, ended up killing my own brother. The thought that I might do something like that to Akira sickened me, and then I understood that I was doing the right thing. I got up from the bed, slowly and carefully, trying not to wake Akira. Dressed as I was, in a black t-shirt and black pants, I made my way slowly down the stairs and out the door, shutting it behind me, as quietly as possible.

I walked through the empty streets of Konoha, of a place, I once called my home. _It will be better for everyone if I leave this place_ I thought to myself as I carried on walking. Walking past some buildings, I saw a couple walking together, the guy had his hand round the girl's waist and she was laughing at something that he said. The guy pretended to look offended at first, but then started laughing too. I stopped walking for a second, to get a better look at them, and felt something I haven't felt in a really long time, jealousy. _Why couldn't that be me and Akira?_ I showed my hands in my pockets and stared walking again, choosing to walk in the shadows, which was more fitting for a monster like me. I just had to accept the fact that I was meant to be a loner from the start. If I believed in any gods, I would have said that they have chosen such a path for me, but I knew, I have brought this on myself, because of the choices I have made. I was trying to figure out what I should do when I leave Konoha, when I heard a voice from behind me,

"Running away again you bastard?" I stopped walking and turned around to face Naruto.

"Go home you idiot." I said to him, without any emotion in my voice.

"Not before you tell me what the hell you think you're doing." Naruto said firmly crossing his arms on his chest.

"Just taking a walk" I lied.

"Don't lie to me. You're trying to leave. AGAIN"

"Don't worry; I won't be a treat to Konoha or anyone else. You have my word." Naruto rolled his eyes.

"It's not about that, and you know it." I didn't say anything, so Naruto continued. "You've changed, or someone changed you. You're not a killer anymore, that's why I don't understand why you want to leave."

"It is none of your business." I hissed at him.

"Yes it is! I'm your best friend!" a few tears escaped Naruto's eyes. "I truly thought I have my brother back. When I saw you, half dead on Kei's couch, two things ran through my mind. One how scared I was that you are going to die, and two, I was praying that this time, you will stay here!"

"No. I'm leaving."

"You bastard!" Naruto ran up to me and punched me hard in the face, but I didn't lose my balance. I could have dodged it, but I truly felt sorry that I was leaving. "If not for me, stay for Akira. She loves you!"

"Don't talk about her!" I snapped at Naruto.

"Her sister left, she is all alone, if you leave her, it will KILL her!"

"I'm leaving because I'm scared I might kill her!" I shouted before I could stop myself. Trying to change the subject slightly I added "And she won't be by herself! She'll have you!"

"Sasuke" Naruto's voice was calm and soft. "Trust me, there is no way you could hurt her." He placed his hand on my shoulder but I shrugged it off.

"I already did once. I nearly KILLED her!"

"That was the old you! You've changed!" I looked at him with disbelieving eyes.

"How do you know?" I asked.

"Because I can see it, even though you NEVER show emotions, I can see the way you look at Akira-chan. You look…" he paused trying to find the right word. "Almost happy." He concluded and smiled.

"But what if…"

"If…" Naruto interrupted me. "You ever do try to hurt her. I swear I will stop you with all my power!" I couldn't help but smirk, as I remembered how goofy Naruto really can be.

"Thank you." the world came out, without my permission. Naruto's eyes widened and then closed as he grinned at me.

"See!" he said opening his eyes and punching my playfully on my arm. "You can be nice!"

"Hn" was all I replied but deep down, I was really thankful for what Naruto said to me. However I would rather die than admit it.

"How about a fight, huh Sasuke?" I looked at him.

"Now you idiot, in the middle of the night?"

"Don't tell me you're scared!"

"Baka! I'm never scared." I crossed my arms.

"Good! 'Cause I'm glad you changed and all, but if you turned into a chicken…well I don't think I would be able to stand that!" Naruto grinned.

"You are as noisy as always!" I said.

"Some things never change! Believe it!"

"Hn" I said with a smirk. "Now…how about the fight?"

"You're right, it's so late! Let's fight tomorrow!" Naruto turned away from me and stared to walk away.

"Hey" I called after him. "How did you know that I was gonna leave? And how did you find me?" he stopped and looked at me over his shoulder.

"I thought you might run away. I haven't slept properly in a while. I've been keeping an eye on the streets leading out of Konoha. You know. Just in case." He winked at me and carried on walking. As he walked he tripped over a big stone and landed flat on his face. "OUCH!" I could hear him call out as he got to his feet.

"What a usuratonkachi…" I said to myself under my breath.

"Hey I heard that!" He shouted still walking away from me. "Meet me in Akira's garden at 9. We shall fight then." And with this self invitation, Naruto disappeared into the shadows and I quickly made my way home, hoping Akira wouldn't wake up and notice me gone.


	17. Chapter 17

Misfortune

**Slight swearing yet again… please enjoy!**

**Akira (P.O.V)**

"Hey guys!" I said to Sasuke and Naruto as they were sparring together in my back garden.  
"Hello Akira-chan!" Naruto replayed.  
"Don't lose focus!" Sasuke said to Naruto, but quickly winked at me. I couldn't help but blush at this. He was so charming.  
"I don't ever lose my focus! Believe it!" Naruto said flashing his grin at Sasuke.  
"Hn" They were throwing kunais and shurikens at each other for a long time. Both were dodging them perfectly. Naruto used kage bushin but that got him nowhere. Sasuke on the other hand tired chidori but that only hurt my cherry blossom tree.  
"Hey! That's my favourite tree! Be more careful!"  
"So? It's just a tree." I gave him an evil look, but he didn't seem to care. He had all his attention, on Naruto. "You are just as bad as you were 3 years ago. You haven't changed one bit baka."  
"Shut up! I am SO much better!"  
"Prove it then! Fight me seriously!"  
"Okay! Bring it on! I will blow you away! Believe it!"  
"I don't think this is a good idea." I told both of them.  
"Don't you dare get involved with this!" Sasuke snapped at me, Naruto didn't say anything. The two of them stared at each other for a while with narrowed eyes.  
"This is NOT gonna end well." I sighed under my breath.  
"Don't worry" Naruto told me, but not taking his eyes from his rival. As soon as he finished talking they both started towards each other. Naruto threw the first punch, and Sasuke dodged it flawlessly. Sasuke jumped in the air, and tried to kick Naruto however, he blocked with a kunai. Naruto spun around and kicked Sasuke in the face. Sasuke cut Naruto's leg with his kunai and Naruto jumped back.  
"Kage bushin no jutsu" about 20 Narutos appeared. "Attack!" Naruto ordered them. All the clones surrounded Sasuke. They jumped on him but Sasuke pushed most of them of and some disappeared. They were only two left.  
"Fire style: Fireball jutsu!" Sasuke exclaimed. Sasuke's jutsu hit something, but it wasn't Naruto, it was his clone. "Oh shit. So close.

"Haha! You are SUCH an idiot!"

"Shut up! You are the idiot!"

"Nuh-uh!"

"Stop with the trash talk, you sissy! FIGHT!" Sasuke sounded really mad. "Chidori Senbon!" he said and thousands of needles flied of in Naruto's direction. He tried to doge them, but few hit him.

"Ahh! You bastard!" he screamed in pain. "Rasenshuriken!" Naruto formed a huge Rasengan ball in a shape of a shuriken. Sasuke's eyes open wide in disbelief. "I told you I learned something!" Naruto charged towards Sasuke. _What is he doing_? I thought to myself. _If Sasuke gets hit by that, he's dead_!

"Naruto stop!" I called to him, but he didn't pay attention. Instead he stopped and threw the Rasenshuriken in Sasuke's direction. _That's it_ I thought. I almost wanted to run out and stop it myself, but I saw someone standing next to me. It was Sai. "Huh? When did you get here?"

"Like a minute ago. What's going on?"

"These two idiots are fighting! For real! Sasuke! Dodge!" But of course I didn't need to say it, as he did so on his own. Naruto seemed weakened by his latest attack, but that didn't seem to stop Sasuke.

"Sword of Kusanagi: Chidori Katana!" Sasuke took out a Katana which I did not realise he had. It glowed, a pretty light blue. He charged towards Naruto, death in his eyes. I closed my eyes, I could not watch what I need was about to happen. _I'm so sorry Naruto _I thought to myself. A few seconds of deadly silence was broken by a cry of pain. Something wasn't right though. It was not Naruto's voice. I opened my eyes slowly and could not believe my eyes. Sasuke had indeed managed to kill someone, but that someone was not Naruto.

"Oh God! Sai!" I said while I run up to him. "Sasuke! What have you done?" Sasuke didn't answer me, but the look on his face was pure terror. Naruto matched that expression.

"Why? Why, Sai?" Naruto said quietly tears rolling down his face.

"I didn't want to see, my first friend die…" he smiled at all of us.

"How could you?" I said to Sasuke again. His expression didn't change, but new he seemed to be shaking.

"Akira…" Sai said very weakly. "Please, please tell Kei…That I love her…and that I'm sorry."

"I will, I promise."

"Thank you." Sai smiled one last time and closed his eyes forever. I and Naruto broke out into a full sob, while Sasuke still hadn't moved an inch. I walked up to him and slapped him in the face.

"Say something!" I shouted at him. This seemed to snap him out of the shock.

"I…I…didn't mean to…" Was all he could say. I thought about slapping him again, but what was the point? It wouldn't bring Sai back. I turned around and looked at Sai_. Please, please tell Kei… That I love her…and that I'm sorry. _Sai's words run though my mind in circles. How could I tell my sister that Sai was dead? That she would never see him again. _Oh Kei_. Naruto picked up Sai's lifeless body while still crying his eyes out.

"I'll take him…" his voice sounded really hoarse. "To the…charnel house." I shivered at that word. "I'll come back though." All I could do was nod to Naruto. He left with Sai and that was the last time I saw him. I took another look at Sasuke.

"Common." I said to him. "Let's go inside." When he still didn't move I walked up to him and put my hand round his waist. "Let's go." I pushed him slightly and finally his feet began to move. To say he was walking was an overstatement; he was just dragging his feet on the floor as we made our way into to the house. I sat him down on the sofa. He didn't say anything, and I decided it was best not say anything either. I just stoked his back gently while waiting for Naruto to return.

"How…did this happen?" Sasuke's quiet voice broke my trail of thought.

"I…I don't know. It all happened so…fast…and…well…I closed my eyes…"

"Why?"

"Because I…didn't want to see you kill Naruto."

"I didn't mean to do it…something inside me, just snapped and again, I had this feeling, this NEED to kill Naruto." I didn't say anything, just looked at him with disbelief. "You must think that I'm a monster." He looked away from me.

"No, I don't think you are a monster, but what you did, is unforgivable Sasuke."

"I know."

"I have to and I will tell Kei the whole truth. She deserves to know."

"I know that too. You are too good for your own good."

"What will happen, when I tell her?"

"I don't know that. Knowing her, she'll probably come and kill me."

"Don't say that!"

"But it's true. The moment I killed Sai, I signed my own death wish. I'm sorry. For a moment, I thought maybe everything will work out here." I saw a single tear run down his check.

"No, you can't give up!" I was crying more and more by the minute.

"I'm not giving up. I am getting what I deserve." I opened my eyes wide, and tears were still running down my face. He hugged me tight, and I knew, deep in my heart, as much as I hated to admit it, that this embrace would be our last.

Sai's death happened a few weeks after Kei's last visit, and so I knew that she would come again soon. His funeral was the very next day. Sasuke didn't go to the service; he knew he was not welcomed. I laid two bouquets of white lilies and red roses. White lilies form me and roses from Kei. Everyone cried, and Naruto didn't even say a word to anyone. I thought to myself that Sasuke finally got his wish. With Sai's death, the bond between them was broken. Why did everything have to go wrong? First Kei had to leave, now this. Didn't we all go through enough crap in our lives? Why was everything so unfair? After the service I walked silently to my house. Sasuke was still sat in the same place where I left him yesterday.

"You cannot sit around and do nothing." Silence... "At least go wash yourself, huh?" Silence... "Hey! Don't ignore me!" Silence... At this moment I knew he had switched himself off from this world completely. He just silently waited for his death. Which, came sooner, then I expected.

**Kei ****(P.O.V)**

I was walking towards Konoha with Zero, hyper like always.

"Hello!" I said to him.

"Umm…you do realise we have been walking together for like two hours now, right?" he responded.

"And you do realise I'm really random, right?"

"Oh yeah!" he said sarcastically. "I forgot!"

"Can I punch you?"

"You can, if you can catch me first!" he said getting ready to run. I grabbed him by his collar and said,

"I caught you already! Now can I punch you?"

"Well, I guess, a deal is a deal right? If you punch me though, I get to punch you back. Okay?"

"Would you really want to punch a sweet little girl like me?" I said while smiling innocently at him.

"Yes."

"Oh, fuck you then!"

"And that proves that you are the sweetest girl in the world."

"Exactly."

"Oh, look." He pointed to something and I fallowed with my eye sight. "We are here!"

"Really? Thanks for pointing that out." I said when I realised he pointed to the Konoha gate. "What would I do without you?"

"Die."

"Probably…" I said punching him on his arm. He started chasing me around, and we both started laughing. We were doing this for a while, until I saw Akira sat on our usual bench. I left Zero and run to her.

"Oh, I don't even get a bye…Thanks!" he called after me.

"You're welcome." I called to him. I run over to Akira, who was still sitting on the bench. She didn't notice me approaching.

"Hello, my very happy looking friend!" I said sarcastically. "Why the long face."

"Oh, hello Kei-chan. I didn't realise you were coming." She said in a sad voice.

"Wow. Zero was chasing me around and I was laughing pretty loud. What the hell were you thinking about?" I asked with a wink.

"Nothing, really"

"Oh dear…When people usually say "nothing really", there is usually something wrong. So tell me, my friend. What happened?" She looked up and met my eyes.

"Well…" she begun, but stopped.

"Well what? Common! Spit it out! It can't be that bad, can it?"

"Oh Kei" she started crying. "You have no idea."

"Okay…Now I'm worried." I looked at her, but she still didn't say anything. "Just say it!" I was getting slightly angry now.

"I don't know how to tell you."

"Just tell me."

"Promise me you won't be angry."

"That depends on what you're about to tell me."

"Sai's dead." She said it in one breath.

"WHAT?" I asked with disbelief. "You're kidding. Please tell me you're kidding." Akira shook her head slightly. "How did this happen?"

"Naruto and Sasuke were fighting, and it got out of hand, and Sasuke was going to kill Naruto, so Sai stepped in front of him and took the hit for him." she was shaking and sobbing.

"Where is HE?" I asked through clenched teeth, crying and shaking with anger.

"He…ummm…er…well…I…I don't know…"

"You're lying!" I screamed at her. She took her eyes from me.

"What are you going to do to him once you find him?"

"What do you think? He killed MY SAI!"

"Nooo!" she cried even harder. "Please!"

"Please, tell me where he is." I tried hard to keep my voice steady.

"I… I can't" she cried. "I'm sorry" I didn't say anything but ran off to the place where I knew he would be…Akira's house. I felt her running after me but I didn't care, I kept running faster and faster towards my destination.

I reached her house and kicked the door open. Not surprisingly, Sasuke was sat on her sofa. He looked at me with an unreadable expression.

"You…" I breathed through my anger. "You did this! You bastard! I knew I shouldn't have saved you back then!" He didn't say anything just got up from the sofa and faced me. "I am going to kill you!" at that moment Akira appeared behind me in the door way. Her eyes were bloodshot red from crying. Sasuke took a look at her and then back at me.

"Outside." Was all he said and walked outside to Akira's garden. I narrowed my eyes and fallowed him in silence.

"Please…" I heard Akira from behind me, but ignored her completely. I walked outside and took my place opposite Sasuke…

**Akira ****(P.O.V)**

Kei took her place opposite Sasuke.

"Kei, Sai wanted me to tell you, that he loves you and that he's sorry." I said remembering Sai's dying words.

"It's this bastard who should be sorry!" She shouted while forming a Beast Tearing Gale Palm, which I have never seen her use before and Sasuke formed a Chidori. One thought circled through in my head, _I never even got the chance to tell Sasuke that he is going to be a father_… After a few seconds of silence, they charged towards each other. About two seconds from impact, I screamed as loud as I could. Everything went black and then…


	18. Chapter 18

The End

**Slight swearing in this chapter but nothing too bad! Enjoy!**

**Akira (P.O.V)**

I woke up screaming. It took me a second to realise I was in my own bed. I was panting, sweating and shaking. All of a sudden, I felt a gentle hand stroke my back.

"Hey. Are you alright? Did you have a nightmare?" I recognised that voice. It was Sasuke. I looked at him wide eyed.

"But… But…You…" I stuttered and at that moment Kei and Sai burst into the room.

"Akira, are you alright? We heard you screaming!" Sai called out.

"Sasuke! What the hell did you do to her?" Kei asked.

"I didn't do anything! You know I would never hurt her!" Sasuke said clearly offended by Kei's question. Somehow I managed to find my voice.

"Kei…Sasuke…Sai…All of you…Are alive!" I couldn't help my happiness. Tears of joy run down my checks and Sasuke wiped them off with his hand.

"Umm…Yeah…" Kei said as she sat down on the bed, confused by my statement. She looked at my face. "That must have been one awful nightmare! You're eyes are red!"

"Yeah it was!" I chuckled with relief that it was all a horrible dream.

"Tell us." Kei said as Sai sat down next to her and put his hand round her waist.

And so I told them the dream, which had seemed so real and was so painful. I told them about how in my dream Itachi killed his clan but left Sasuke alive. I told them about how my parents were killed by Itachi and Madara. I told them how Sasuke nearly killed me and Kei saved me, and how she went after him to get revenge and nearly killed him herself. I told them how then Sasuke nearly died and Kei saved him because I begged her to. I told them how Kei joined the Akatsuki because they threatened to kill me. I told them how Kei visited me and Sai and what she told him (Sai seemed to really enjoy that part of the story). I told them about Naruto and Sasuke's fight and how Sai got killed. And finally I told them about the moment when Kei and Sasuke were going to kill each other and I woke up. When I finished, they all looked at me wide eyed.

"I want dreams like that!" Kei exclaimed.

"Really? You want a dream where I die?" Sai said confused.

"Well, not really, but I would like a dream where he dies." She said while pointing to Sasuke.

"Thanks." He replied sarcastically.

"You're more than welcome!" She smiled at him faking innocence.

"Why haven't I killed you yet?" he asked Kei jokingly.

"I truly have NO idea!" she replied. "But there is slight chance that Sai and/or Akira would kill you after that!" she carried on with the joke. I didn't say anything; I was too happy that it was all a nightmare.

"I would kill him if he as much as touched you Kei." Sai said with a serious expression, but it was clear, he too was joking.

"Don't worry, I WILL NOT touch her, trust me." Sasuke said.

"Ouch." Kei said pretending to look hurt. "That felt like a punch in the face." She turned to me and asked "Are you still with us?"

"Umm" I cleared my throat. "Yeah, of course." I smiled at her. "I just didn't want to interrupt; this makes me feel so relieved and happy." A few tears run down my checks again.

"Sasuke, are you positive, you didn't do anything to her during the night?" Kei asked him.

"No, I told you before I would never hurt her." he said getting slightly angry.

"Are you positive?" she asked again, hiding behind Sai.

"Okay, that's it!" he got up from the bed, and Kei screamed to high heavens. She run out of the room and Sasuke chased after her. I laughed out loud.

"We really should not live together…" Sai sighed and shook his head, which made me laugh even more. I heard Kei scream and laugh from somewhere in the house.

"Should we help her?" I asked him.

"No, the right question is, 'should we help him?'." he replied.

"Hahaha!" I laughed, "I'm sure he can handle himself." As soon as I finished speaking, I heard Sasuke screamed, from somewhere in the house.

"Are you sure about that?" Sai and raised an eyebrow. At that moment Kei run into the room and hid behind the doors while saying,

"That asshole has a dangerous weapon!" Sasuke entered the room a few seconds later holding a frying pan.

"Where is she?" he asked. She jumped out from her hiding place onto Sasuke's back while screaming,

"Surprise asshole!" he fell on the floor and she sat on his back triumphantly. He lost the grip on the frying pan and it went flying across the room. "I win!" She put both of her hands up.

"Could you please get off of my boyfriend please?" I asked once I stopped laughing.

"With pleasure" She got up and walked over to Sai giving him a high five. Then she sat down next to him. Sasuke got up and said,

"I'm gonna kill you someday…"

"Yeah, yeah. You say that every day and somehow I'm still alive."

"Well, he didn't kill you because if he did, he would be signing his own death." Sai pointed out.

"Can we please not talk about death anymore? It's creeping me out…" I said.

" Of course" Sasuke said while coming over to sit on the bed next to me. He hugged me tightly.

"Awww! I want a hug!" Kei exclaimed. Sai leaned in to hug her and she said, "I was kidding! Jeez." Kei crossed her arms and Sai looked very disheartened.

"Owww" he said. Kei leaned in and kissed him on the cheek, and Sai blushed.

"Aww! That's so cute!" I said and Kei glared at me. "What?" I asked. "It is cute!" Sai laughed and Kei kept glaring at me.

"Ha-ha-ha. Very funny" Kei said sarcastically. "I'm hungry" she said out of nowhere and left the room.

"I really need to get used to her being so random…" Sasuke said, to which me and Sai laughed.

"Let's all go and eat something." Sai suggested.

"Okay! I'm pretty hungry too…" I said and as if to prove my point my stomach made a loud noise. We all got up and made our way down the stairs. We were greeted by a lovely smell of bacon and eggs. Me, Sasuke and Sai sat down at the table. Kei turned around, looked at us and asked,

"I guess you guys are expecting me to make you breakfast, aren't you?" I nodded, Sai smiled and Sasuke said,

"Pretty much"

"I feel like a dinner, breakfast lady. How much do I get paid?"

"Absolutely nothing" Sasuke answered while Kei brought our food to the table.

"Well, this job sucks then." She sighed setting the plates down. I looked at my plate which looked and smelled delicious. Then I remembered what a terrible cook Kei was in my dream.

"Is there something wrong with it?" Kei asked me when everyone started eating apart from me.

"No, it's nothing." I shook my head and started eating. "Mmm. This is delicious!" I told Kei after a bite.

"Thanks" she said, but she still looked at me funny. At that moment I heard the front door open and saw Naruto walk into the house as it were his own.

"I smell breakfast!" he exclaimed with a huge grin.

"Good morning to you too, baka." Sasuke told him rolling his eyes.

"Have you got any spare for me?" Naruto asked.

"It's not ramen, so you wouldn't like it Naruto." Sai told him. Naruto crossed his arms and the rest of us laughed while Sasuke smiled.

"Get some from the counter." Kei told him while pointing to a big plate which still had a lot of bacon and eggs on it. Naruto walked over to the counter grabbed a fork and the whole plate and sat down next to Sasuke.

"She didn't mean the WHOLE plate baka." Sasuke said to him while Sai and Kei face palmed themselves at the same time. This made me giggle quietly.

"Why is Akira-chan so quiet today?" Naruto whispered to Sasuke, his mouth full of beacon.

"I heard that!" I told him. Naruto swallowed loudly and then rubbed the back of his head with his right hand while grinning at me.

"I would like to point out Naruto, that she is never loud." Sai told him.

"Yep." Kei agreed nodding her head. "But then again, compared to Naruto, EVERYONE is quiet. Even me"

"And that's saying something." Sasuke added.

"Don't make me jump on you again!" Kei threatened.

"Don't make me get the frying pan again." Sasuke teased.

"What on earth happened here?" Naruto asked.

"Trust me, you don't want to know." I and Kei said at the same time. This time all five of us laughed.

I was really glad I had woken up from that nightmare. I looked around the table and saw Kei bickering with Sasuke from time to time, but laughing at the same time. Sai was butting in, and laughing too, at the appropriate places. Naruto was joking and Sasuke kept calling him an idiot even though it was clear he found his jokes amusing. I was in a place that I never wanted to leave. This moment, was the definition of perfect.

**Well this is the last chapter! Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it! ^.^**


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